Ethereal Destiny
by Ebony Mitsu
Summary: 3 years since Galaxia and the senshi all think they've moved on. Most of them have. But new players enter the game and the threads of destiny begin to come together once again. american/english names. T for safty later on. enjoy x
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Sailor Moon or any of the characters created by Naoko Takeuchi-sama. Much as I'd like to I don't and I'll just have to deal with that. However I do own my own characters and this storyline. I apologise for any OC-ness but sometimes it is needed for the story. Enjoy. ~Eb~**

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* * *

The young man breathed the fresh air in deeply. He was happy to be back. His blue eyes sparkled at the thought. The sun was shining, it was a beautiful day, he was back. Nothing could be more perfect.

He frowned as he realised that it could be. The frown deepened as he remembered why.

He looked to his three friends. They were watching him carefully, judging his reaction. He already knew the terms of this visit; if it got so bad that they deemed it necessary (i.e. he became seriously depressed again and tried to kill himself or this was having the effect they hoped for and desired) then they would take him home.

No questions asked.

No arguments.

No fighting.

Home.

It had seemed fair at the time, but now he was back he didn't want to leave again. Ever.

The girl smiled at him gently, her red eyes warm. She closed them and titled her head back to take in the fresh air.

The other two showed much more concern for him; they weren't so sure that this visit was a good idea. Green and violet eyes met his gaze.

"Don't worry so much, your faces will stick that way and then I'll have to look at them for the rest of my life." he joked. They finally smiled, expressions as gentle as the girl's, and he returned it with a smirk. He turned to face the city again. He didn't need to return home. He felt as though he was already there.

"Come on" he said. His voice happier than it had sounded in months. He turned to the others with a wicked grin. "Let's go."

* * *

"Serena!"

The blonde-haired blue-eyed girl turned with a smile at her friends' shout. She'd just gotten back from vacation and they had met her at the airport. She saw another blonde running up to her and laughed. Mina was always full of energy. She could see the others walking much more calmly towards her behind the blonde.

"Serena how was the resort? See any cute guys I should know about?" Mina gushed.

Serena smiled and shook her head. "You know I wasn't paying attention to other guys Mina." she could always count on Mina to make her feel better.

"Shame. We're running out here. Of cute guys I mean." she stared off absently into space and Serena shook her head again before following her gaze to the blue sky.

It had been three years since the defeat of Chaos. Three long years. At first they had all been glad that the fighting was over. It meant a return to normality, being able to focus on things like grades and work instead of wondering when the next youma attack would be and whether they'd have any time for school.

But after a month or two, although still enjoyable, it had begun to get boring.

And when they'd had the time to stop and think about the past few months the girls had realised something. That they missed the Starlights. It wasn't as fun on Earth without them any more. Without Seiya's pranks, the arguments with Yaten and Taiki's quiet prescence, things just didn't seem quite the same anymore.

Trista had spoken to Serena about it, saying that it was only natural for her to miss them, especially Seiya. He had helped her through a really bad time after all. But it was time to forget the past. They had a future to work to.

And for Serena, it was looming up all too soon.

She had grown up a little over these last few years, matured, had even pulled her grades up. Now she was looking back wishing she had done some things a little differently.

Seiya, for one.

She glanced at Mina from the corner of her eye; the blonde's eyes were misty with light, controlled tears. So she still missed Yaten.

Fingers snapped in front of her eyes and she started.

"Earth to Serena! We asked how Spain was." Lita said.

"Sorry," laughed Serena, "I guess I got lost in my own thoughts."

"Again." muttered Rei. Serena shot her a glance. One thing that hadn't changed was Rei's constant nit-picking of Serena. It really bothered her sometimes.

She glanced around, expecting a face but not seeing it, and a frown creased her forehead. "Where's Darien?"

Amy shared a glance with the others, but it was Lita who spoke.

"He's not here. Said he couldn't make it. Something about a paper that needed to be handed in and pulling an emergency shift."

Serena nodded and resumed chatting to the girls about her holiday; the places she'd been, what she'd done, the food, the beaches. In reality she was thinking.

'_This isn't the first time he's bailed on a meeting or a date.'_ she thought sadly. _'Maybe I should call him and see how he is.'_ she had known about the paper; his American university had agreed to sponsor for him to work here in Japan. He was interning at the same hospital as Amy. But for the last few months something had been wrong, felt not quite right.

She'd been getting very good at that lately; continuing with something even though she wasn't paying attention, like how she was doing now.

She caught onto the conversation just in time to hear Lita invite them all back to her house for coffee and smiled and laughed with the others.

* * *

The girl looked into the depths of the crystal sphere intently, watching threads of time and destiny weave and separate. She homed into a single glowing strand and frowned gently. A brown eye narrowed and then widened.

The area around her was shrouded in veiling white mist, dark shapes looming out of it. She sat atop a massive structure that stood alone in the middle of the plane.

The orb glowed and then vanished, becoming a staff that was longer than she. A gentle voice rolled away across the valley, indifferent in its sigh.

"Interesting."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to those that have conatcted me in whatever way to ask about this story. I appreciate it a lot. Standard diclaimer still stands. I'm hoping i'll be able to finish this story. **

**For any who wanted to know my Gundam Wing story "Codename: Eclipse" is on standby. I've been put off it for various reasons and now have major writer' block as a result. I will try to get it going again soon though. Same with "Ginkiri". I'm in an exam period of the college year so updating isn't my first priority unfortunately; getting onto my university course is. Thanks for being patient with me and i will update as soon as i can.**

**Enjoy pplz! ~Eb~**

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* * *

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"So, I heard that the Astronomy class is getting a new student next week." said Rei quietly.

Serena felt like an outsider, observing through a window. She didn't know why and it bugged her.

"That's funny, I heard the same thing about the Drama course." Mina said, her tone puzzled. Mina didn't believe in coincidences anymore, not after everything that had happened to them. Serena privately agreed with her.

"Weird, two in one week." Lita breathed in the deep hazelnut scent of her coffee. Serena picked up one of the shortbread rounds and nibbled it.

"I heard its four. One transferring into the Politics class, another into the Music course." Amy added. Trust Amy to know the ins and outs of the college's traffic.

Serena finished the shortbread and sipped her coffee, the smell of it soothing. She wondered about Seiya and the others, whether they were ok. Whether they missed them as much as the Senshi did. Although the Senshi had invited them to come back and visit, the Starlights had never taken it up since they'd left. She felt kind of hurt by that.

'_Am I not good enough?'_

His voice echoed in her head. She'd been hearing him a lot lately. Had been thinking about him a lot. Maybe too much. Maybe Trista was right and it was time to let go and move on. Their not visiting was probably a sign that they had. Not for the first time Serena wondered if she and the other Senshi, at least the ones that didn't want to kill them outright, were a good enough reason to come back and visit.

"Serena?"

Serena blinked and realised how close Amy's face was to hers, a faint flush rose in her cheeks.

"Serena are you ok? You've been awfully quiet ever since we got back from the airport." Amy sounded concerned.

"Yeah meatball head, what's wrong with you? You're so spacey all of a sudden." added Rei. "Is it because Darien wasn't there to meet you at the airport? Are you worried that he doesn't love you or something again?"

Serena scowled at her. While it was true that she was a little worried about her boyfriend's behaviour of late, it annoyed her to think that everyone thought he was _always _on her mind. She had been thinking of Seiya, not Darien. Darien hadn't been on her mind since they'd left the airport. Seiya had. That's why she'd been so quiet.

"She's gone again." observed Rei. Amy and Lita sighed and shrugged, resuming their conversation with Rei for the moment. They knew from recent experience that if Serena wanted to confide in them then she would talk to them in her own time.

Mina silently watched her friend with concern. She was the soldier and protector of love and beauty, and as a daughter of Venus could sense other's emotions. She could tell that Serena was deep in thought about someone and it troubled her. The way that her princess and Darien had been acting together lately troubled her. It wasn't like Serena to be so secretive.

Darien was acting strange as well. He seemed jumpy around the Senshi lately. Was he hiding something?

Mina sighed and re-entered the conversation half-heartedly. Though her thoughts were really on a young man with starlight for hair.

* * *

Serena stood at the counter with her hand resting on her chin as she surveyed the café. Her part-time job could be so interesting and then it could be so dull. It was a pain but as a student she needed the cash.

It was a small café, one that had opened a little over a year ago. It wasn't always very busy nor was it the best job in the world, but the pay was good enough and she didn't have to wear a ridiculous uniform like some cafés insisted upon. It was near to her house that she shared with the girls as well as a park.

A young woman walked in and Serena watched as she took a seat near the window. The Moon Princess watched as she picked up the plastic menu on the table and glanced at it before walking over to her.

"Is everything alright miss?" Serena asked kindly, all too aware of the boredom evident in her voice. Looking closely now she saw that her hair was naturally crimson and that her eyes were only a shade or two darker. The girl's hair was long, pulled into two elegant loops either side of her head and then left to trail behind her, and looked shiny and silky. Her skin was pale, her figure willowy. She wore dark jeans and a pretty white blouse trimmed in lace.

"Yes, I'd just like a . . ." she paused as she scanned the menu again, and Serena got the impression that she had no idea what she wanted. "What would you recommend here?" the girl asked finally. Putting the menu down and resting her chin on both hands as she gazed up at Serena.

"Well, the coffee here is always good, and we serve the best green tea for several blocks. The milkshakes are good too." Serena paused as she considered. "The coffee-and-walnut cake is good too."

"Perfect." the girl smiled. "A coffee and some of that cake you mentioned would be nice." Serena nodded obligingly and went to fetch the requested items from behind the counter. She brought them back and the girl thanked her.

Serena glanced at the clock behind the till. 2:55. Five more minutes until her shift ended. She lost herself in her thoughts again as she resumed her place behind the counter.

Why Seiya? Why now, when she had been moving on with her life at last? She'd thought she'd gotten past all that. Didn't his continued absence - his _three year long _absence - prove that he had moved on? And now that Darien was acting so weird and almost avoiding her she had no choice but to think. Her stupid brain wouldn't let her do anything else!

She only just realised that the red-haired girl from before was standing in front of her. Serena blinked a few times and straightened up when she realised that she was being spoken to.

"I asked if you were alright. You've been staring off into space for ten minutes now." she explained quietly.

Serena blinked again. Ten minutes? Then that would mean . . .

"Ack!" she cried suddenly. She'd been so into her own head that she hadn't seen her shift end. "I'm so sorry but I've gotta go. My shift's ended without me and I have something that I need to-" Serena broke off as she ran into the corner of the shelf behind her and hit her head. The sudden pain made her eyes tear up. _'I thought I'd gotten past all the klutziness too.'_

"Are you alright?" the girl asked in concern. Serena looked at her to see actual worry in her eyes.

She smiled and replied "It's alright. I used to do this all the time when I was younger. I can be such a klutz sometimes that it's almost unreal."

The girl smiled and then looked her up and down. Serena couldn't help but wonder what she was looking for. Then she couldn't help but wonder why this girl looked so familiar. Maybe the knock to her head had affected her more than she thought. Maybe she was going crazy. Maybe she -

"Come on, you can sit with me for a bit. Just until I'm sure you're ok. You can have a drink on me." the girl watched her with warm eyes and waited for Serena's response. Again Serena experienced a sense of déjà vu but ignored it.

"Really I'm ok, it's not the first time it's happened."

The girl _tsk'd_ her. "No, I insist, please humour me. I've seen really bad things happen to people who've only received a tiny knock. Five minutes and then I promise you can go, alright?"

Serena relented and went to fetch herself a green tea. The girl's eyes had shown so much concern for her - a total stranger - that she hadn't the heart to refuse. Though she didn't let her pay; as a staff member here she could get free drinks and meals.

The sat in silence for a while before Serena's curiosity and déjà vu got the better of her.

"So, you don't sound like a local. Where do you come from?" she asked lightly. The girl looked at her oddly but the expression vanished almost as soon as it had appeared.

"Out of town. I'm visiting friends and was hoping to run into one of them today." she took a sip of her coffee, watching Serena over the rim of her mug all the time. "My name's Blaze. Blaze Phyre."

"Serena Tsukino." Serena rubbed her temple, thinking. She looked so familiar.

"Nice to meet you."

Serena smiled. "How are you liking it here so far?"

"Alright, I think I may have a problem with these friends of mine though." she paused, studying Serena again, and her eyes narrowed. "Are you sure you're alright? You seem . . . sad."

Serena twitched. How could a complete stranger read her so easily?! "My life's just . . . complicated, right now."

"I understand the feeling." Blaze said sympathetically. Then she leaned foreward, "How so? Want to talk about it?"

Serena was saved answering when her phone vibrated, signalling a text. "That'll be my friend. I'm sorry but I've got to go. It was nice meeting you Blaze. Maybe I'll see you around sometime?" Serena called over her shoulder as she left.

Blaze watched her with her eyes as she walked out the door and down the street. She was met by the traffic lights a few metres away by another blonde and they walked away arm in arm. She sighed and pulled out a slim black mobile from her purse and flipped it open. She dialled and waited for the other person to answer.

"_Yes?_" the answering voice was male, deep. She envisioned violet eyes and smiled.

"I've found them. They're still here."

* * *

After dinner Serena tried calling Darien. There was no answer so she left him a message. She sighed long and deep as she put the phone back on its cradle.

"Darien still not answering?" asked Ikuko. When Serena nodded her head and walked away she frowned. That boy had seemed so nice but lately something was going wrong. Maybe she should do something.

She took a phone book from under the telephone and flipped through it absently. Now, what was his last name again? Shields? She scanned the page. Nothing. He must be unlisted. She'd need to be more creative.

Kenji walked past with a mug in his hands and paused when he saw his wife scowling at the phone. "Everything ok honey?"

She jumped and then turned to smile at him awkwardly. "Don't scare me like that!"

He chuckled and then nodded to the phone. "What did the phone do to offend you?"

"Oh, nothing much, just a friend who changed his number without telling me. I need to get through to him but I can't." she lied easily. Kenji still didn't know about Darien and Ikuko intended for it to stay that way for a while. Ken could get really overprotected over Serena. It was ridiculous.

"Not in the phone book?" he frowned to when she shook her head. "Try asking someone else who knows him then." he walked on.

Ikuko smiled after him, her eyes closed. _'I would but the girl who's got his number won't give it to me.'_ she snapped in her mind.

* * *

He stared out the window, watching the moon as it rolled its way slowly across the sky. It looked different somehow. Duller.

He wondered if _she _was ok.

The green-eyed boy walked into his room and closed the door quietly. Although the other heard the click of the door closing he didn't acknowledge the newcomer for a while.

"Our Princess called earlier." the second boy had a lighter voice than his brothers that still somehow sounded masculine. "She found the Moon Princess."

The one with blue eyes finally stirred and looked at him. "I know." his voice was deeper than the other's. "But I don't know what to do."

The green-eyed boy tossed a lock or silver out of his eyes. "Seiya, I know what you're going through is . . . hard, but you can't keep yourself locked up forever. She'd want you to let go."

Seiya sighed. "I know she would. And yet . . . I can't. Not until I know for certain that she's happy."

It had taken them so long to get here. He knew the others were worried about him. He hadn't been the same since he'd left here. Where once light lay in his eyes now there was only shadow. Once it had gotten too much to bear and he had tried something he had regretted ever since. Seiya had the feeling that his friends and Princess were waiting for him to try it again.

Yaten looked away. He knew what Seiya was going through, as did Taiki, but they were handling it better than Seiya. Or so they believed.

Turned out that coming here was reopening some old wounds.

Rebuilding Kinmoku had been difficult, a challenge, one they'd all embraced on their return. The days kept them busy, stopped them from thinking too much about the things and people they'd left behind. The nights had been . . . strange. Full of half-dreams and restless sleep. But nothing had bothered them really. Starfighter had been the hardest worker, making sure that she had no time to think at all. She was first up in the morning and the last in bed at night. She worked herself to exhaustion and then slept until sunrise, when the cycle would start anew.

But the work could only last so long.

The rebuilding had only taken a year and a few months in Earth time. After that life went on around them as normal. At first so did Starmaker and Starhealer; 'Fighter was quieter than was normal but still continued on.

And then they'd realised just how much they missed that ridiculous little planet.

After that Starfighter had started sinking. Slowly at first. Little things like being quiet for long periods of time, or sleeping for longer than normal. She began to move differently, more lethargic, and she began turning up late to meetings and college.

Then she stopped sinking. Instead 'Fighter plunged. One stupid little comment from a total stranger and 'Fighter had gotten into a fight in a street at night. The next morning 'Healer had gone into her room and discovered her lying across the bed with a red rose in her hand, an empty crystal bottle lying beside her.

That had been a close one. 'Healer still dreamt of it at night. The thought of getting there too late always woke him in a cold sweat. And then he started wishing that he had the scent of sunshine, vanilla and fresh air lying next him to cheer him up.

That had been confusing. When he had realised that that was how Mina had smelled it had broken his heart. But at least his memories of her, and Taiki's of Amy, didn't slowly kill them.

"Well, we launch our careers again next week." Yaten said in what he hoped was a helpful voice. "They'll definitely realise that we're back then. Even if they have moved on they'll want to see us."

Seiya nodded and resumed staring at the moon. Yaten came over to join him.

He guessed that the three of them were simply a bunch of hopeless fools.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Thanks for putting up with me during all this. As you'll probably guess things are starting to come together now for the first major twist to our tale! It'll be a doozy I promise! You'll never guess in a thousand years *laughs at little pun* not even Trista/Pluto knows what it is. *said senshi scowls at me and I simply shrug*.**

**StrataLight****: I would be honoured if you would give me that info. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much. You're right, Trista will get into a lot of trouble later on, much to Amara's dislike. *evil laugh*. Sorry but I couldn't think of any other way to tell you; couldn't message you so . . . Hope you don't mind x**

**Thanks as well to my regular reviewer; I'm so glad you're enjoying this too. I need encouragement else I'm likely to let this story drop. I'm great at starting them but terrible at finishing them lol. Hope you enjoy the 3rd**** chapter as much as the first two!**

**On with the show people! STAGE ON! ~Eb~**

The girl swept down the deserted corridor and through the half-destroyed door at the end. She wore a tunic and trousers of some softly shimmering black material and two twin daggers hung in a belt around her small waist. The heels of her black leather boots made a dull click against the stained marble of the floor. She was determined.

The room beyond the door was in ruins like the rest of the kingdom; much of the Sirius Constellation was destroyed but it was slowly being rebuilt. It had taken a thousand years to get this far and its few rulers that had survived the tragedy were focusing more on the citizens than themselves. Now that their high princess had returned the work went faster. The white stone was blackened with long-burned-out fires and the dust that accompanied time lay all over the floor. Half of the domed ceiling was missing, opening the room to the elements. Elaborate whorls and eddies that had once occupied the space on the magnificently decorated walls and ceilings of the palace had faded and the walls were now cracked.

She ignored the desolation and continued to the open end of the room, where two more girls waited for her. Both dressed in similar uniforms.

"Lady General, we received your message and travelled here immediately to answer your call." the taller of the two said as they both knelt before her. The Lady General watched them indifferently as they stood again and watched her back. The one that had spoken had long purple hair and yellow eyes, dressed in the same uniform but of a deep indigo colour. A long sword hung from her right side. Her companion looked several years younger, with short pale blonde hair and eyes a lighter brown than the Lady General's, dressed in a uniform of pale silver-green, an archer's bow and quiver of arrows slung over a shoulder.

"I have become interested in the events taking place on Earth." the Lady General began without waiting for or exchanging other greetings. "Things there appear to be taking a turn, whether or not for the worst is yet to be seen. They are . . . unsettling."

"And we are to go and watch over these events, as always, am I right?" asked the blonde. Her voice was gentle in its indifference, sounding like wind chimes in the dawn, the first sweet music of the new day.

"That is partially correct. Both yourself and Silavnus are to stay alert for any more changes. if things get too drastic you are to call me straight away. I must go to the realm I guard and consult someone there."

The two girls nodded and disappeared, one in a silver shimmer the other in a soft exhalation of solar winds. The Lady General waited for these warm and gentle currents to disperse, the winds ruffling her hair. When she was quite sure that her orders were being followed she turned and left the way she had come.

Those threads she had seen, they troubled her as much as they interested. She sensed something looming on the horizon. Something she knew boded no good will.

* * *

"Still nothing." Serena murmured as she replaced the phone in its cradle and placed both hands on either side. She took a deep breath and looked at the phone. She hadn't heard from Darien in a week.

'_Maybe I should go see him today. I'm pretty sure it's his day off.' _she thought as she stared at the phone. She glanced at her wrist watch for something to do, absently noting the time as one in the afternoon.

With another sigh she turned to go. Two steps later the phone rang, making her spin round.

"I wonder who that could be?" she muttered as she walked the couple of steps back and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"_Hey, Serena."_

"Darien!" she said happily. "I just tried calling you how are you?"

"_I'm fine. I heard the phone ring just as I got through the front door and didn't get to it in time."_

"How come you went out?"

The was a pause on the other end of the line. _"Went shopping."_ another pause. _"Look, Serena, I'm sorry we haven't spent as much time together as we'd like. It's just I've been so busy at the hospital and everything that I haven't had much time to myself."_

"That's ok, I knew you were probably busy so I tried not to bother you too much." she smiled with a sudden idea. "Hey, I know, why don't we go out tonight for a meal? Lita found this amazing restaurant the other week and she says that the sushi is to die for."

"_Yeah, sure. Sounds great. Listen I got to go. I only called because I wanted to apologise for my behaviour."_

"So soon? You haven't even asked how my vacation was." she frowned.

Another hesitation. _"So how was it?"_ he sounded tired.

"It was great! The weather was beautiful and the resort was fantastic. We went-"

"_Serena, I'm sorry. I've really got to go. My mobile's just gone off and it looks like the doctor I report to at the hospital. So I'll see you tonight yeah?"_

Serena sighed. "Yeah of course. See you later Darien."

"_I'll pick you up at seven?"_

Now Serena paused. "Yes, seven is fine. Bye. I love you Darien."

"_Love you Serena. See you later meatball head."_

The line went dead.

Serena replaced the phone and looked at it for several long moments. She was finally getting to see Darien again, her boyfriend whom she loves very much, after two weeks with barely any contact. So why wasn't she smiling?

She shook herself and walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water. No matter. She would see him later. The closer it got to seven the more excited she would be, she knew it. She stared out the kitchen window at the garden and his name escaped her lips in a saddened sigh; "Darien."

From behind the kitchen door Ikuko listened sadly. Something was very wrong between her daughter and Darien lately. She could feel it, but she didn't know what it was or how to help. It saddened her to think that her daughter could be in trouble and she couldn't help her.

* * *

The knock on the door sounded and Serena looked at her bedroom door expectantly. It was a little past seven it was true, but she wasn't going to berate him too much over five minutes. She'd been much later she knew.

She used the last minute available to her to check over her appearance. She'd chosen a long floaty cream-coloured dress for the evening, and matched it with a pair of cream sandals with a small wooden heel and a cream purse with a gold chain and a filmy cream-white shawl.

The knock at the door proved to be her mother. "Sweetheart, Darien's here."

"Thanks mom, I'll be down in a minute." her mother nodded and smiled at her daughter's appearance as the girl patted herself down and made sure she had everything she'd need. "Purse, money, phone, lipstick, tissues . . ."

Serena walked downstairs after her mother a few minutes later. Darien was standing awkwardly by the phone in the hall. She frowned; why hadn't he sat in the living room?

"You're ready?" he said casually. She nodded and made the frown disappear. _'Silly Serena, you're barely out the door and already you're spoiling this.'_

"You two have fun now ok. And Serena, I want you home by eleven ok?" Serena nodded and smiled at her. "You look after my girl Darien ok." Darien nodded with a guarded smile and they left together.

"So where are going?" asked Serena after they'd gotten into the car.

"To that restaurant you mentioned earlier. I looked it up and it sounded nice." he was focusing on the road, but now he looked at her briefly. "You look nice. New dress?"

She nodded. "Me and Mina went shopping last week and I saw it then. You know Mina; she insisted that I have accessories to match."

"What about your allowance? I didn't think you got too much."

"Dad raised it when I pulled my grades up. I have a part-time job now as well remember, so I can afford more." she frowned. He'd been here just after she'd gotten the job so he should remember that.

"Oh yeah, sorry. It suits you." he added as he glanced at her again. "So my Serena is becoming an independent woman now?"

She gazed out the window. Was she becoming independent? She didn't know. She knew that in terms of society and money she was. She was saving up to go on a trip to France with Mina. She lived away from home usually; she was back at her family's house for a few months while their flat was being re-decorated. Washing machines and loose change do not mix, apparently. Mina had left loads in her pockets and it had flooded. Until the repairs were finished they couldn't live there so all the girls had ended up back home.

But if she were to think in terms of time and destiny she supposed she wasn't. Her future had been set in stone. She would return to the moon with Darien and the senshi in a few years as their powers grew at an alarming rate and the earth would freeze over. She would be frozen in crystal with the others as her strength grew and when the crystal disappeared she would no longer be Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. She would be Neo Queen Serenity of the Earth and Crystal Tokyo, wife of Endymion, King of the Earth, mother to Small Lady, ruler of the Silver System. Her destiny was planned. She should be happy.

Strange how she wasn't looking forward to it as much as she used to believe. Most people would kill to know their destinies. More and more lately she had been wishing to reverse the flow of time.

"I suppose in more ways than one." she said eventually. She was becoming independent of thought as well.

"So how are the repairs at the flat?" he knew what had happened. Darien had had to be on hand like the outer senshi to help transport valuable things out before they'd become to damaged.

"The furniture we got out is more or less ok. Some of the floorboards need replacing but most of those are done now. The carpets definitely need to go. New dishwasher, new washing machine, new tumble dryer, some new cupboards. We're not sure we can afford it all." she thought for a few more minutes.

"But you girls had insurance right?" Darien sounded wary.

"Yes," she nodded, "We do. But we're not sure that our security deposit on the house will cover the damage. Plus we're all in part-time jobs. Still students, remember. Students are broke."

"It'll sort itself out, I suppose. Things for us tend to work out for the best."

Did they? She supposed they did but wasn't so certain as he.

The car pulled over and they got out. It was a lovely restaurant and Lita was right about the sushi. The meal passed uneventfully with light chat and good food. Again Serena felt that something wasn't quite right.

"What on Earth's going on over there?" said Darien suddenly, looking past her to the entrance.

Serena turned and saw only a pushing crowd of reporters. Usually this would spark her interest but she was too busy trying to examine what exactly was a little off with the evening when her mobile rang. The tune of the Three Lights' last song played quietly until she answered it; the caller ID showed Amara's name.

"_Kitten, something's not right. Be on guard."_ Amara's voice said almost as soon as the call was answered.

"Amara what on Earth is wrong with you?" Serena frowned and not-so-playfully pushed Darien away when he leaned closer to listen. "There's nothing wrong and hasn't been for three years." she added dismissively.

"_Princess, listen to me." _Amara's tone was gentler now. It had been warning before. _"Something's not right. Trista and Hotaru both feel some sort of disturbance and they can't pin point it at all. And that disturbs me. We only know it is linked to you so please be careful tonight."_

"Oh Amara you worry too much. Seriously, tonight has been as uneventful as most of the others. There was more excitement when the washing machine decided to regurgitate water over everything. What could possibly-"

"Odango?" the male voice behind her sounded as shocked at the sight of her as she felt at hearing it. Serena was aware that she had frozen and that Darien was staring moodily at the voice's source. She was aware of Amara calling her name before Serena apologised and hung up. She made herself turn around slowly to face the man she knew was standing there.

Seiya was wearing trademark red, his hair as dark and long as ever, although he himself appeared a little thin and pale. Though that could have been to do with the fact that he was in total shock. Behind him stood Taiki and Yaten, both wearing light yellow and blue respectively. They appeared less shocked, though still affected, and awkward. They nodded their greetings to her and glanced nervously at Seiya, Yaten chewing his lower lip. The young woman next to them, however, was the most serene person Serena had ever seen and one she had seen before. It was Blaze Phyre. But now Serena knew where the feeling of déjà vu had come from.

Serena _had _met her before.

Blaze Phyre was Princess Kakyuu of Kinmoku.

"Seiya, Taiki, Yaten, Kakyuu . . . How . . . Why?"

"She's in shock." Taiki said as he turned to Yaten.

"But I'm not. What are you three doing here?" Serena glanced at Darien as the angry words came from him. Why was he being so hostile? She'd thought he'd not minded the Three Lights. At least, not as much as Amara.

"Reasons of our own." said Yaten pointedly. He moved to take Seiya's arm to try and lead him away. Seiya didn't budge. Serena thought he looked depressed now after Darien's words.

"That didn't answer my question." Darien said as Serena's mobile vibrated on the tabletop. Amara had sent a text; _Koneko-chan, you are so dead for hanging up on me like that! What the hell is going on there?_

"None of _your _business Shields." Yaten repeated. This time he succeeded in pulling Seiya away. Serena frowned more deeply. Seiya's eyes were dark, almost black. Depression didn't suit him at all. Why was he depressed?

She was dimly aware of both Taiki and Kakyuu greeting her as they walked past towards their own table at the far end of the room. Serena didn't look at them or acknowledge them in any way; she was too busy staring at Seiya Kou, and wondering what terrible thing had happened to make this man, who usually shone as bright as the sun and an ego the size to match it, broken.


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm back! I'm pretty sure I got all the kinks out of this one. Oh, and before I forget, a quick note: The name of one of the mysterious girls in the 2nd**** chapter was stated as "Silvanus". This is wrong. It should have been **_**Lumina**_**. Sorry folks I've only just realised.**

**A great big thank you to all my reviewers for your support! You're keeping me on track and more-or-less on time with this story and I'm really grateful for your encouragement. Special thanks again to StrataLight for their kind words and suggestions. Thanks to you I was able to tweak a couple of scenes in here so they run more smoothly than before. I hope. Hope you feel better soon!**

**And now to our story; what's with Darien and why is he acting so strange? Why is Serena beginning to doubt him? Just who are those three mysterious girls? Will I get past my chemistry assessment this afternoon without blowing up the lab? (LOL) it's all right here in Ethereal Destiny! STAGE ON! ~Eb~**

* * *

"But I just don't get it! I'm with _him_! It's _destiny_! Why the hell should he be so . . . so . . ." Serena threw her hands up into the air angrily and let a growl escape her. The inner Senshi watched her rant, calmly, albeit nervously, waiting for her to run out of steam before stepping in.

"Well duh Serena, of course he feels threatened." said Rei, irritation evident. "What did you expect him to do? Throw a welcome back party?"

"But he shouldn't be acting this way." the Moon Princess ground out, still pacing. "For heaven's sake he's the future king of Earth the least he can show is a little maturity!"

Rei shared awkward glances with the others. Serena, the crown princess of klutz and immaturity, was preaching about _maturity_.

Mina was more uncomfortable about the feelings radiating off her princess than her maturity level. "Serena calm down and think this through." she took a deep breath and held it as Serena looked at her before she nodded and sat down again, facing Mina. Mina released the breath and continued. "So, he's a guy right? What do guys do when a rival for their attention comes into the picture?"

"Act like five year olds who don't know how to share?" Serena supplied sweetly. Mina smiled and shook her head. Amy giggled and even Rei and Lita shared smiles.

"And why is that?" Serena opened her mouth and Mina quickly cut in with a "I mean besides their mental age."

Serena took a deep breath and closed her eyes, thinking. When she opened them she did not look happy. "Because there's no trust."

All the Senshi now looked taken aback.

"Serena of course he trusts you!" Rei blurted quickly.

"He loves you Serena." Lita reminded her gently.

"That wasn't exactly what I meant . . ." Mina muttered guiltily.

"He knows you wouldn't do anything like that; it's not logical that you would." Amy added. They realised they'd all spoken at pretty much the same time.

Serena looked out a window sadly. It was true. If Darien was acting hostile to Seiya because he saw him as a threat, then there had to be a reason for Seiya to be perceived as a threat. The only reason she could gather - and secretly Mina thought it too - was that he thought she, Serena, would leave him for Seiya for one reason or another. Or not even leave Darien before that point. Therefore he didn't trust Serena and therefore there was no trust in their relationship.

At least, not from his side.

Serena had been too upset with him for his actions to thank him for the meal out, and they had driven to Serena's, in silence, and she had got out and walked to her front door, in silence, and he had driven away angry that she was ignoring him and that Seiya was back on Earth. _In silence_.

_Two days ago!_

The relationship was falling apart without trust. That much was obvious. And now that she thought about it Serena could see that this had been happening for a while. It was only really brought to her attention now by the fact that the once gradual decline was now a steady drop. They'd been drifting, not seeing each other for days or calling each other for this or that reason.

The girls watched her thinking quietly, sensing their princess's sadness. They weren't surprised at this turn of events; they had noticed it happening a few weeks ago. They weren't sure what bothered them more; their princess's recent melancholy or the prince's recent behaviour.

Sitting here on the steps of the temple they all began trying to think about what could have happened to cause the rift between Serena and Darien.

"It doesn't matter whether or not it's logical Amy," Serena said at last. "What matters is that he seems to think there is a reason not to trust me. I just don't get why! When Seiya and the others were last here I thought he was dead, and Seiya was a really good friend to me and helped me through that." she looked at each of them in turn and they could see tears brimming in her eyes. "I'm destined to be with Darien and he knows that. So why doesn't he believe me when I say that I won't go?"

Mina watched her princess as tears rolled down her face as Serena looked imploringly at each to explain this to her. None of them had an answer.

Mina's eyes gained a determined glint. _'Don't worry Serena. I will find out why your chosen prince is acting this way. I will find out why the prince you don't fully realise you desire has returned. As a daughter of Venus, I will help you in this.'_

They heard laughter heading their way and they all looked up. Amara, Michelle, Trista and Hotaru were all walking up the steps to the temple.

"Kitten what's the matter? You hung up on me the other day and then you didn't return my text or any of my other calls." Amara asked gently as she and Michelle sat down next to her. Trista and Hotaru hurried the inner Senshi away.

"I'm sorry Amara," Serena said with a small smile. "But it's just that . . . Right after you called someone called my name and it was someone I recognised. I guess I was in shock for a while."

Amara watched her thoughtfully. She wasn't fooled so easily.

"Serena, you have to tell me what's bothering you. We've all felt you growing sadder and sadder lately and it's worrying us." She said. Michelle said nothing, instead nodding encouragingly when Serena looked at her.

Serena sighed and leaned back to look at the sky above. "You're not going to like it very much."

"Do I ever?" Amara joked. Michelle stood and moved to talk to Mina, who was standing a few feet behind them. The blonde pair watched her before Amara turned to face Serena again. "Princess, when you're in pain so are we. We don't like seeing you this way. Let us help."

Serena looked at the sky for a long time before glancing sideways at Amara. The older woman looked so sincere. "It's Seiya. He's back."

Amara made sure to keep her face completely neutral. "Really? I'd thought as much."

Serena looked shocked. "Why?"

"Well first because Pluto finally managed to figure out what was wrong." explained Amara before throwing a scowl over her shoulder. A chuckle was heard and Amara cast a sly look at Serena again. "Also I've only ever heard one person call you 'Odango' in that way and his annoying voice isn't one I'm soon to forget."

Serena stared. Amara was being calm? Over _Seiya_? Someone call the media! Then the last sentence hit her. "Ah you er . . . Heh you heard him."

"Over the phone." Amara confirmed, still smiling. "And in case you were wondering, I had my rant last night."

Serena blushed. "Why didn't you tell me that Pluto knew? What else does she know?"

"I tried to tell you Koneko-chan, but you weren't answering or returning my calls, remember?" Serena smiled apologetically and Amara nodded before she became more serious, "We don't know what else she knows. She won't tell us. Pluto always was harder to read than most."

Serena looked at her for a few minutes before turning to look at Trista. The long-haired woman was talking with Amy and Rei. There was a smile on her face but it didn't reach her eyes, which were darker and sadder.

"Michelle sensed two presences on Earth last night besides the Starlights and their Princess. She couldn't tell anything about them but that they have no ill will. It's got her on edge that they can shield against her like that." Amara sighed. "It's got me worried too. Trista seems to know more than she's letting on. How can I protect you when I don't know what I'm protecting you from?"

"I'm sure she feels it necessary that you don't know and that she will tell you when she feels you need to know. She is one of my Senshi and a good friend and so I trust her." Serena said at last.

Amara looked at her, barely hiding the shock she felt at her princess's words. Serena had grown up so much over the last few years.

Mina had been watching this interlude thoughtfully, not really focusing on her conversation with Michelle before the older girl had wandered over to Rei and the others. Michelle had mentioned that Amara was only being calm for Serena; when the tall blonde had found out who the three newcomers were she'd gone on a rampage through the house and destroyed the window in the back door while exiting the house in a 'not-so-peaceful way' as Michelle had put it.

She shook herself and looked at the other Senshi, deciding who to talk with about her concerns. Finally she called quietly to Amy, who glanced at her before excusing herself and coming over.

"Amy, do you notice anything strange about Serena lately?" asked Mina, looking from Amy's eyes of sapphire to the blonde in question.

Amy followed her gaze and stared sadly at the back of the blonde head. "She's grown up a lot." the girl replied at last. "Much more than Rei gives her credit for, although I'm sure that Rei thinks it too. But . . ." her voice trailed off.

"But?" asked Mina, paying attention to Amy.

The blue-haired Senshi of Mercury shifted from foot to foot uneasily, as though unsure whether to confide. Eventually she met Mina's eyes. "I can't help but feel that, well . . . That it was at a cost."

Mina nodded encouragingly for her to continue as they walked away from the main group towards a cherry blossom tree.

"It's like . . . I don't know Mina it's like she's hurting, regretting something. I can't help but feel that it's linked to the … to the Three Lights returning." the words seemed choked.

Mina took a long look at Amy; the girl was now refusing to meet her eyes.

"Amy, are you . . .?"

"Yes, yes I'm quite fine." Amy said hurriedly. She changed the subject. "Do you miss them?"

Mina stared at her for a minute or two, struggling to keep from looking like a goldfish. She hadn't missed the change in topic, but unsure who to react to the new one she played dumb. "Who?" she asked innocently.

"Them." Amy said softly. Her eyes were gentler now, the melted waters after the snow. "The Three Lights. The StarLights. Whichever you want to call them."

Mina watched her now rather than stare. The intelligent girl's stance wasn't so confident now, or nervous, it was gentle and sorrowful. Mina dared think that Amy missed them terribly.

"Yes." Mina answered, and when Amy heard the edge to her voice it was her turn to look. "I miss them . . . very much. I don't think it's the same without them. I'm almost glad they're back, even if it does cause trouble with Amara." she laughed.

Amy laughed too; she could see how this situation would go down with the hot-headed woman.

"What about you?" Mina asked, watching a blossom float to the ground. "Do you miss them?"

"Of course." Amy said. Then she glanced at Mina quickly. "I'm very grateful for the help Seiya gave to Serena. He was there when she needed him, like she said." her tone suggested she thought she'd previously said too much.

"Do you think they've moved on?" the very thought made Mina's eyes water a little, but she hid it by looking behind her at the tree.

Amy looked at her carefully. "I would hope so. But then, in a way, I suppose, part of me hopes that they haven't. Maybe this is why they've come back?" Amy's tone had startled Mina; sadness and hope!

Then she realised that it made sense; Amy had gotten very close to the brain of the StarLights, Taiki Kou. Finding out who he was had been a big shock but Amy hadn't cared, or appeared not to anyway. Mina's empathic abilities had allowed her to see that the Senshi of Ice had cared deeply for the violet-eyed StarLight. Mina smiled remembering thinking how they were perfect for each other; a match in every way. Mina didn't think anyone else deserved Amy's gentle and caring heart so much as the intellectual Taiki Kou. She knew they'd more than enjoyed the challenge each other presented. After they'd left she'd been a little . . . off, for a while. Not Amy. But then Amy had seemed to shake it off.

Now Mina knew she'd only buried the feelings deep. The news of their return made the emotions swirl beneath the surface of both their hearts.

"But I forget," said Amy, smiling gently at the sky, "we were talking of Serena. I daresay she misses Seiya."

"Yes." agreed Mina softly.

"Maybe . . . a little more than she's letting on?"

"Why do you think he's the reason behind her actions of late?"

"The fact that since she saw him she's been more quiet than ever." Amy told her, smiling. The smile told Mina all she needed to know.

She had found another ally for Serena.

* * *

"Seiya will you open this god damn door!" Yaten bellowed for the hundreth time. Taiki was sitting on a sofa in the living room with his eyes closed, his expression somewhere between calm and angry as he tried to ignore the fact that one of his best friends hadn't come out of their room for over 24 hours and his other was pounding on said door in a miniature rage.

Princess Kakyuu was sitting on the other end of the sofa, her book lying forgotten in her lap. She had turned in her seat to follow Yaten as he strode across the living room to force the depressed StarLight out of his room half an hour ago and had been watching the sad show ever since.

At first Yaten had been angry and the other two concerned. Now, after so much bellowing and punching, Kakyuu and Taiki were very worried and Yaten was beginning to get a little concerned that there was no answer.

"Do you think he's alright?" asked Kakyuu quietly. Taiki looked at her. It was amazing how quickly she had gotten used to addressing them by the right pronouns.

"Honestly?" he asked her just as quietly. When she nodded he sighed. "I just don't know."

"Seiya for gods' sake open this door! It's not worth it!" a new edge of worry laced Yaten's voice. "If this door isn't open in five minutes I'm coming in!"

Still no answer.

"Seiya please! I'm begging you. Open the door. You're scaring us Seiya!"

Nothing. Not even a sound.

New panic gripped the three as they strained to listen. There was a dull _thunk _and a rolling sound, as though something small had fallen and rolled over the floorboards.

Something like a small bottle.

"SEIYA!" Yaten started trying to shoulder the door open and only stopped when he heard a pop in his shoulder. Ignoring the dislocation he instead took a step back and put all his force behind a powerful kick to the door. He only succeeded in bouncing off onto the floor.

'_Don't do this Seiya! Not again.' _he thought worridly as he struggled to get up. Taiki crossed the room swiftly and steadied him as they both put their combined forces into two powerful kicks.

The door swung open with such force that it nearly closed on them, but not before the two had darted through into the gloom beyond.

"Seiya? Seiya!" Yaten shouted frantically as he began searching everywhere for the dark-haired young man. Under the sheets, under the bed, the wardrobe the -

"I hope you're going to replace that door."

"Seiya!" Yaten spun and launched himself at the taller man, his shout a mixture of joy and utter relief. Both ended up on the floor.

"Seiya don't you ever do that to me again do you hear? You had us scared to death!"

"Alright ok I get it!" said Seiya quickly.

"Because really it's not the right thing to do and -" Yaten stopped in mid flow and looked at him suspiciously. "What exactly were you doing?"

"Standing outside on the balcony with my earphones up to max to drown out your shouting." Seiya said, his expression and tone darkening. "Why?"

Guiltily Yaten looked at Taiki for help.

Seiya looked from one to the other and then at his princess standing in the doorway as he put two and two together. "You've got to be kidding me." he said suddenly. "Please tell me I'm wrong, you guys thought that . . ."

All three looked at their feet.

"You did! You thought I'd tried it again didn't you? What the hell guys come on, why did you go and think that for?!"

"Well what with the other night and you locking yourself away almost as soon as we got in and … and your expression after Shields spoke to you and you not answering just now and … I heard something roll in here." Yaten finished lamely.

Seiya's expression went from hard and angry to much softer but still unyielding. "Guys, I know I tried that before, and I know you're all really worried about me right now. I'd be the same if it was reversed." he glanced at all of them in turn before settling on Yaten's bright green eyes and his expression became a little fiercer. "But you've got to trust me on this. I'm not about to try that again, it would upset everyone and I'm not willing to do that again. I was in a really bad place before. But I'm happier now, I am, and I'm not about to blow my second chance at life."

'_And with any luck my second chance at love.'_ he thought, determined. Out loud he continued;

"The other night was just . . . a really big shock for me. None of us was expecting to see her," he didn't see Kakyuu's eyes shift slightly and carried on, "And Shield's words sort of brought it all back to me. I've been doing a lot of thinking over the last couple of days and I've decided . . . I'm not going to give up so easily this time. I have a 50% chance, right?" he looked at Taiki who nodded, looking uncharacteristically emotional. Yaten met his gaze again with a determined nod and Kakyuu smiled at him, gentle and encouraging.

Seiya smiled; he had support. He'd definitely get through this.

"But what rolled?" asked Taiki suddenly, confused. Seiya glared at him before producing the hysteria-inducing object from the floor by the bed. "My pen."

* * *

The purple-haired woman stood before the full length mirror in the apartment she shared with her comrade and waved a hand across the reflective surface. Instantly her reflection rippled and became the image of another; the red-headed Lady General.

"Report Lumina?"

"We have arrived safely and with only a minor detection. The Senshi of this system know only that we are here on Earth and nothing else. Everything is settled for our stay. We have sensed nothing ominous as yet but there are curious vibrations from this planet and its satellite and so will investigate further. Amorina is currently checking out the moon."

"The old Moon Kingdom?"

"Yes."

The Lady General looked down at the floor that would be before her at her end of the communication gravely, thinking.

"I have consulted all those who I deem as necessary for the moment." she said finally, looking up. Her light-tanned face was grave as her brown eyes stared straight into Lumina's yellow amber orbs. "They agree that the ripples spreading throughout the realms are disturbing but cannot agree on the cause." she glanced away again and looked back, her old determination and indifference back in place. "Lumina, Sailor Pluto is on Earth."

"The Time Guardian?" asked Lumina incredulously. "I thought she swore never to leave the Time Realm!"

"She has, but leaving was through no fault of her own. It was to protect her Princess Serenity and so it was allowed to be so." the Lady General paused, choosing her words carefully. "Watch her. I cannot help but feel that these ripples are somehow emanating from Pluto and those connected to her. I fear that leaving the Gates of Time has caused her to lose sight of her role."

"As you wish Lady General. I shall inform Amorina of our orders and we shall begin at once."

"I mean it Lumina. We cannot fail at this. Your orders are thus; Watch Sailor Pluto and ensure she is doing her job. Watch the other Senshi of this system as well and ensure that they are capable of protecting their princess. And finally watch over the heir to the Moon Kingdom, Princess Serenity. You must do this without alerting any of them to you or your task. Especially Pluto. Understood?"

"Yes Lady General, I understand. I shall inform Amorina at once."

The Lady General nodded and Lumina's reflection replaced her image once again.

Lumina sighed. Watch Sailor Pluto? What had happened to force them to keep tabs on old friends and comrades? No matter. She would do as her commander ordered, because the Lady General would only order this if she deemed it necessary.

She thought back over the last thousand years. Since the Sirius Constellation had been attacked and pretty much destroyed it had been slow going to track down those survivors that remained and rebuild the Empire. Even slower as their High Princess had gone missing during the attack, her body not to be found. She was presumed dead but lack of evidence had many who returned believing that she was still alive and in hiding somewhere. A thousand years passed and when they finally found her, wreaking havoc on Earth, it was to find her in the clutches of the one who had destroyed their kingdom! A long battle later and after much help from the Senshi Princess Thuraya was returned to them and the Ancient Evil was sealed away. Time had been restarted and no memories of the event allowed in order to protect the Senshi of the Silver Millennium, the Guardian Senshi and their weakened Empire. No one on this planet remembered the weird happenings at all.

Lumina shook her head and brought her wrist communicator to her mouth. "Amorina, we have our orders."

A crackle of static and then the younger girl's voice came through, clear as a bell. "I hear you Lumina. I will return shortly. Found something interesting in the palace."

The line went dead as Amorina hung up.

Lumina went over to the balcony and looked up at the moon sadly. Its glow was dimmer than it should be. That meant that the Moon Princess was upset or in some sort of situation that caused her glow to lessen. Why?

A warm wind caressed her cheek and swirled her midnight purple hair. Lumina traced the glowing orange winds back to their source and waited for the blonde to speak.

"I'm here Lumina, now what are our orders before I tell you what I found."


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! Sorry it's taking so long to get to the twist in the tale. It's coming up soon though, I hope. The only problem with winging a story is that you're never quite certain of the shape it will take, lol.**

**Thanks to all my reviewers again, I've tried to balance the depression in the last chapter with a lighter mood, but I'm not sure I haven't done something else instead. It's great that you're all enjoying this.**

**I also have a special notice to give you all: ever heard of the story "Do you wanna be a Senshi?" well, I'm a part of that, and we're looking for people to take part in our little 'Sailor Moon Live'. You'll get to interact as one of the characters from Sailor Moon with other characters. We still have some Senshi posts to be taken up and plenty of supporting characters, which are needed as they help balance the Senshi. Contact myself, ****TheStoryWriter ****or ****ilovemichiru25**** for the link. Even if the post you want isn't there you can still apply as some of them may become available in the near future. The only ones definitely are not are Sailors Neptune, Mars, StarFighter, StarMaker, Jupiter , Saturn, Venus and Galaxia. Please join in and let's save the world together! *Others stare at her* what? Too much?**

**Ok, enough said, let's get on the show! STAGE ON! ~Eb~ x x x**

………………………………

* * *

Mina knocked on the door and stepped back, waiting expectantly. She took the opportunity to glance at the garden surrounding her; a riot of honeysuckle and jasmine and other sweetly smelling and luscious looking things. The front door opened and she smiled cheerfully at Ikuko Tsukino.

"Hello, Mrs Tsukino, I'm Mina Aino I'm a friend of Serena's." she said, giving a pure sunshine smile.

Ikuko nodded and smiled back. "Of course, come in, I remember you from before. Serena's in her room if you'd like to go up. I'll bring some tea in a minute or two."

"Thank you Mrs Tsukino." Mina chorused as she danced feather-light up the stairs.

"Serena!" she sang brightly as she burst through the door. "I bring news of the StarLight kind!" Mina opened her eyes and blinked when she didn't hear any response to her announcement.

Serena was slumped over her desk staring into the mirror.

"Serena, what's wrong?" Mina's voice was now gentler and quieter and she was altogether more serious. Serena looked up when the once-Venusian placed a hand on her shoulder.

Serena opened her mouth to speak, her expression brightening at the same time, when there was a gentle tap and the bedroom door opened.

"Hi girls, I brought up some tea and a plate of cookies for you to enjoy."

"Thanks mom." Serena said gratefully. Mina chorused a 'Thank you' as Ikuko withdrew and closed the door.

"Now then." said ina, becoming Serious again. "What's up?"

Serena sighed. "Aren't you even a little annoyed to have to move back in with your parents? I mean . . . I love my family and all, but it's a little irritating."

"I know, but at least your parents are home and show that they care. Mine are always away on some trip and the most care I get shown is coming down in a morning to a note that explains their absence what there is to eat and stuff for emergencies."

Serena went back to moping and Mina watched her carefully as she poured the tea. She picked up one of the pink tea cups and walked to Serena and knelt beside her.

"Here, Princess, drink this you'll feel better." Serena took the cup and after watching her take a sip Mina continued; "And I know that's not the real reason you are here sulking. What has bruised your heart so?"

Serena looked at her. Should she tell her? Mina was the Princess of Venus and the Protector of Love itself. Hiding one's emotions from a daughter of Aphrodite was foolish, but how to explain them when Serena didn't know what she was feeling at all?

"I don't know." Serena said truthfully.

"So there is something wrong." Mina said, sounding satisfied; her intuition had been right after all.

Serena nodded and continued. "I'm not sure what. My thoughts are . . . occupied. And Darien's acting so strangely . . ."

Mina nodded, understanding. She suspected the path her Princess's thoughts travelled as of late, but didn't want to press the issue for the time being, not until she had something which she could use to help the girl. The second problem would solve itself in time. One way or another, at least.

"You know, if you ever want to talk, I'm here. And so is Amy, she's been very worried about you lately. And I'm sure Lita and Rei would listen as well." Mina looked up from her tea and smiled gently at her Princess and best friend. "You're not alone, you know."

Serena smiled and hugged Mina gratefully. The other blonde merely smiled and returned it caringly.

* * *

Amy was visiting her mother in the hospital at much the same time as the two girls were having their talk. As she sat in the waiting room for Dr Mizuno she couldn't help thinking about the last three years. For a start, something felt a little off about one of those three, although she couldn't for the life of her work out why it should be so any more than the how.

Her Princess and friend was also in her thoughts. Serena had been troubled she could tell, and she obviously didn't want to share her thoughts and feelings with the others just yet. Mina had spoken to her about Serena the other day, and both agreed on one thing; Serena's melancholy had gotten worse with the sudden and unexpected return of the StarLights.

Amy and Mina wanted to run on over to their old apartment, firstly to see if they were there and second to get some answers, but it just felt like the wrong thing to do.

"Amy, why are you here?"

Amy looked up at her mother's voice and smiled. "I thought you'd want some lunch, I know you hate the food in this place." Amy held out the small box to the older woman. "Also, I was hoping you could help me with something. It's girlish and teenagerly and nothing to do with medicine at all, but I'd appreciate your input and experience."

Dr Mizuno smiled, her eyes a little lighter and her hair a much darker blue than her daughter's. "Of course Amy, let's go sit down somewhere so we can talk comfortably shall we?"

Amy nodded and began explaining on the way to the canteen; "Well, you see, I've got this friend who's having . . . Guy troubles."

* * *

Mina stood outside the door and raised a hand to knock, held it there for several seconds, then let it fall limply by her side. She gazed at the door in the apartment building forlornly; staring at it wasn't going to get her inside.

She sighed. When she'd left Serena's house it had been with the promise of getting some answers for her friend. Never had she dreamed that those answers would be so hard to get. She was Mina Aino, Sailor Venus and the Princess of Venus, a Daughter of Aphrodite and Protector of Love and Beauty, Leader of the Inner Sol Senshi and a Guardian of Princess Serenity, the Heir to the Moon Kingdom. She could defeat a monster that was trying to kill her and her friends but couldn't knock on a simple harmless door? What kind of Senshi _was _she?!

Mina took a deep breath, raised her hand to knock, hesitated . . . And let it fall again.

"_This is getting more and more ridiculous." _she thought bitterly. _"It's a door. A __**door **__for heaven's sake. And the people behind it are . . . Are . . ." _Mina gulped audibly. Apparently the people behind this particular door were intimidating.

"_That's stupid. They're not scary. All three of these boys are pussy-cats. They're not scary in the slightest. Nope." _she stared at the door some more before whining in her head; _"Then why am I so scared?!"_

Mina shook herself suddenly and raised a hand, determined and with every intention to knock on the door loudly. A very polite, insistent rap.

The door opened from the inside.

"Err . . ." she blinked a few times, her mouth having fallen open. _"At least I don't have to physically force myself to knock anymore."_ she reasoned sensibly.

Apparently she wasn't the only one in shock; the brown-haired young man on the other side was staring down at her, blinking in confusion. "Mina? What are you doing here?" he asked quietly in a confused voice.

She stared some more.

"Mina." his voice was louder now. From within the apartment she heard the sound of something breaking as it hit the floor, followed by a loud string of Earthen curse words and some that definitely weren't of Earth origin. A quieter and more demure voice said "Language."

Mina finally switched her brain back on.

"Taiki, I thought you'd be here. Serena mentioned that you and Seiya and Yaten were back and I thought I'd drop by." she laughed pleasantly as she finished.

Taiki just blinked at her some more. _"No mention of the Princess, so don't they know or . . ?"_

"Taiki who the hell is it already?!" came the loud voice from inside. Mina saw silver-white hair approach from over Taiki's arm and the person began muttering about 'inconsiderate twits' when she realised she was staring at a pair of bright green eyes that widened when they met her own.

"M-m . . . Mina?" Yaten seemed completely in shock as he stared at her. Yet another dark head walked into view as Seiya came to see what the commotion was about and he was followed by a strikingly familiar red-head.

"Mina what are you doing here?" Seiya asked her. "Is it Serena? Is she hurt?"

Mina opened her mouth to answer, but a sudden wave of varying emotions crashed upon the shore of her mind with such ferocity that she couldn't cope.

Mina collapsed forwards into the arms of Taiki and Yaten as her world went dark.

*

"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you." Mina said quietly half an hour later as she sat on the sofa with a cup of tea and a blanket over her legs.

"It's no problem, really. We were expecting one of you to turn up at our door at some time. We just expected it sooner and . . . Well, I'm not sure if we were expecting it to be you." Taiki explained.

Mina nodded silently, absorbing it all.

After her fainting spell Yaten and Taiki had carried her inside and laid her down on the sofa and set about trying to wake her up. Seiya had gone to clean up the mess Yaten had caused in the kitchen - the product of a glass slipping from his grasp when he heard Mina's name followed by her voice - and Kakyuu had made a round of tea. Now the Fireball Princess was sitting in the chair opposite her, Yaten on Mina's left, Taiki on the sofa arm to her right and Seiya standing nearby trying to make some sense out of all this.

"Honestly, we're just glad it was nothing serious." Seiya said truthfully. He didn't think he could have handled Yaten's worried shouting another minute.

"It hasn't happened in a long time." Mina confessed. It was true, the last time had been shortly after the fall of Galaxia when so many negative emotions had overwhelmed her that she'd thought she was drowning.

"But it has happened?" Taiki pressed her. When she nodded silently he leant back deep in thought, still watching the petit blonde. _"These girls get stronger every day . . ."_

"I didn't realise you were empathic." said Yaten.

"I am. It comes from being a Venusian. It's a . . . a family trait, stronger among the royals of my own planet." she looked at them all in turn before focusing on the cup resting on her knee again. "The closer we get to Serena's transformation and coronation, the more our powers evolve. Each of us is now awake as the Princesses of our home planets and with it those gifts and traits we held so long ago have returned and strengthen day by day."

She was struggling to keep up her mental shield in this apartment; too many emotions that ran high were surrounding her.

"And yet when you came to the door you made no mention of me?" Kakyuu stated the fact as a question. Mina looked at her and saw only gentle understanding in the warm red eyes. The Kinmokune Princess knew what she was feeling. Instantly Mina felt a warm wave wash over her mind and she sighed almost silently. Kakyuu was trying to soothe her, and by doing so give her more control over her mind.

The blonde girl looked at her gratefully, a look returned by a sweet smile, and answered the question. "Serena never mentioned you, only that she had seen Seiya Yaten and Taiki, and Darien didn't recognise you in the restaurant else I'm pretty sure he would have mentioned something. Then again, he isn't really talking to Serena or most of the Senshi at the minute so . . . Maybe he wouldn't have after all."

Seiya opened his mouth to speak but Kakyuu silenced his questions with a wave of her hand. Instead she turned to Mina and said, in a gentle but firm tone, "Lady Mina, my StarLights explained who you were fully to me when they brought you inside. I wish for you to pass my thanks to your Princess for her discretion on my behalf. I do not wish to be known to the Senshi of this planet at the present time, for reasons of my own. It is for this reason that I must now ask you to keep my identity a secret from the others."

Mina nodded. Serena had clearly judged the information to be on a need-to-know basis and she would be only too happy to comply with the request. Serena trusted Kakyuu, and so Mina would trust her to.

"I also ask you to watch over and protect your Princess closely. You have no idea how precious she is to this universe, and to lose her would after so much has happened would be a tragedy."

Mina nodded again, suspecting Kakyuu knew more than she let on but allowed it to drop for the moment. "Myself and Sailor Mercury will do as you command."

Kakyuu nodded, seeming satisfied with the answer. She stood up, inclined her head to Mina in a slight bow, and left the room, leaving the four friends alone to talk.

"Mina, how is Odango?" asked Seiya hesitantly. He wasn't sure whether she would share information about her Princess.

Mina, however, was only too happy to talk; it was why she'd gone there in the first place, though she decided to be discreet. "She is healthy." then she looked at each of the three male faces watching her and asked the question that had been on everybody's minds. "Why did you decide to come back?"

Seiya and Yaten looked over at Taiki, who opened his mouth to speak, hesitated but explained briefly nonetheless. "We ran into some problems on Kinmoku. We came back to solve them and also for a vacation."

"So the rebuilding has gone well?" when she received a round of nods she smiled. "I'm so glad. We were worried it would go wrong somehow. Congratulations." she paused, selecting her questions with care. "I trust that the problems you encountered are nothing too serious?"

She didn't miss the quick glances they threw at each other.

"No, nothing that would warrant the attention of the Sol Senshi." said Taiki smoothly.

"They were more . . . personal than that." added Yaten.

Mina saw the guarded looks and frowned. She deliberately let down her shields a little to probe the atmosphere of the room. Anger, shame, loneliness, worry, love, regret.

"Nothing for the Senshi of Venus to worry about?" she enquired lightly. She saw their hesitation, their temptation to lie, and seized on it. "I would be disappointed if you lied to me. Your emotions give you away." she frowned. "Why are so many of your emotions negative? Do you not wish to be here?"

The boys looked at each other. What to say? Taiki cleared his throat first, but Yaten beat him to the words.

"It's more complicated than that." Mina watched him, her expression gentle and benign. He decided to continue. "Something happened on Kinmoku, something serious and near-fatal concerning a friend. We returned to try to help him. I'll admit," he added, taking a deep breath, "That at first I didn't like the idea. In fact I opposed it for reasons of my own. But staying on Kinmoku did no good, it made everything worse. And so here we are."

Mina looked at Seiya, who had his eyes cast down. Anger and self-hate radiated from him, but also concern and love and worry. She could gather surface thoughts from these emotions. He worried for his brothers, sisters, whatever Yaten and Taiki were to him. He worried what the Sol Senshi would think if they found out. He worried what Serena would think of him if she knew.

"Seiya, what did you do?" she asked gently.

Startled by his name and the soft tone of her voice he looked up. Her eyes were blue as summer sky and shimmered with held back tears. She suspected, how much he didn't know but probably enough. He hung his head, ashamed.

He was startled again when he found his arms full of flying emotional blonde.

"Seiya, you idiot, what did you do to yourself?" she was crying, openly sobbing. "There are people who love you, so many people, and I would never have thought that you could do something like that!"

"Mina." he muttered, trying to console her but struggling to understand whether he was being scolded or reassured.

"Don't you ever try that again, do you hear me? If you do and something happens I'll never forgive you! Serena will never forgive either of us! It would kill her inside."

"Why?"

The blonde sniffed and looked up at him. His expression was gentle, now he was reassuring. Behind them Yaten and Taiki watched silently. It had been a surprise when she had suddenly hugged him but now they understood; she was feeling Seiya's emotions. Trying to make sense of them and help him in her own way, while at the same time reprimanding him for even daring to consider doing something so stupid.

"Why what?" she asked stubbornly.

Seiya wiped a trailing tear from her cheek, earning a jealous glare from Yaten. "Why would it kill Odango if I were dead?" he asked her, the heartbreak in his voice was palpable.

Mina sniffed and stepped back with watery eyes. "She cares for you. It would hurt her deeply to know that you had died. Even more so to know that she was the root cause of it." she explained simply.

Seiya nodded seriously, leading her back to the sofa and the others before sitting on the low coffee table in front of the sofa.

"So how is she?" he asked simply. Yaten was stroking her arm gently and Taiki had rested a hand on her other arm.

"She is fine. Concerned, both about you and about other things, but safe." Mina had calmed down now.

Seiya opened his mouth to speak but Mina raised a hand to cut the flow of words. "Seiya, will you speak to her? She is hurting inside, for many reasons, and I know that talking to you could help the both of you. We were hurt to discover that you had been here a while and not contacted us sooner, and that you never replied to our invitation. But you are here now and maybe you could help us."

Seiya closed his mouth and smiled at her, a warm and soft smile. She brightened a little and looked at Taiki first, who was watching her calmly and nodded, then Yaten who was watching her with something akin to affection.

She beamed again and gathered both Taki and Yaten to her in a hug with a bright if watery smile. "Thanks guys, I knew we could count on you to help us!"

* * *

"So he's been acting strangely?" Dr Mizuno repeated thoughtfully. The remains of the lunch sat discarded between herself and her daughter, both of them nursing cooling cups of coffee between their hands.

Amy said nothing, but watched her mother with hopeful eyes.

"And you say this hasn't happened before?"

"No, not really." said Amy, thinking back. Actually, now that she thought about it . . . "Well, a few years ago really, but it was something we all forgave him for readily, he'd acted strange and then broken up with her, believing it to be for the best."

Dr Mizuno stared at the coffee dregs thoughtfully. It was rare that her daughter requested her assistance on these matters and she didn't want to let her down. "Did he now?" she looked at the coffee some more and then looked at her daughter's blue eyes. "And you're certain it's not more of the same thing?"

Amy nodded. Dr Mizuno lapsed into thought again.

"No," she muttered, rousing herself at last. "I can't see another reason for it."

"What is it?" asked Amy hopefully. She leant forward in her chair.

"Your friend's boyfriend is hiding something. Something that you and the other girls would disapprove of, judging from the way he acts around you now. You say he is on edge? That he guards his expression from you all? That he doesn't call her for long periods of time and then out of the blue rings and arranges meetings, dates, without much explanation for his disappearance?"

Amy nodded. Her mother appeared to come to similar conclusions as herself and Mina had. She hoped that Mina was having luck with her own endeavours.

"Then it is something big. You would most probably definitely disapprove of his actions." Dr Mizuno concluded finally. She checked her watch; her break was over. "I'm sorry Amy, I've got to go. I'll see you later tonight?"

Amy nodded and stood to wave her mother off. She walked out of the canteen, ready to head home but something stopped her. A familiar presence.

She turned and quickly ducked behind a corner, peering back out again a few seconds later.

Darien stood by a coffee machine, the same one she and her mother had used before. He was chatting to a girl. Nothing strange about that, she realised. He was allowed to have friends. It was Serena who wasn't allowed to have friends of the opposite sex. Again she couldn't help but wonder if Darien's feelings were sincere.

As she watched Darien said something that made the girl laugh and his facial expression softened a little. Amy watched the pair walk away again.

The blue-haired girl leant back against her wall and sighed. She was getting paranoid; all this sneaking around wasn't healthy for anybody.

Amy opened her eyes.

But her Princess wanted answers, and so answers she would indeed provide.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi Guys! Sorry this is taking me so long to wind up to, i know it's starting to drag a bit so this chapter hopefully will remedy it. Things should start hotting up now! Thanks to my reviewers for keeping me reasonably on track. I've gone over the other chapters and found loads of mistakes. Little things but, gomen ne minna! I'm sorry! I thought i had them all. **

**Oh, and we still have some spots open on that site. It's www. sailor-moon-live. proboards. com (just take out the spaces). Check it out if you wanna join in. Still missing Pluto and StarHealer so if you wanna help us feel free! Other spots are open too. :)**

**Enough from me, on with the story people! STAGE ON!!! ~Eb~**

**

* * *

**

Serena held the phone to her ear with both hands, staring miserably into space. She had decided to call Darien to apologise for her behaviour, but he wasn't picking up. She wondered if he was ignoring her - he had caller ID after all - or if he was genuinely not home. But then, where was he? It was seven in the evening. He should be home from the hospital by now.

The answer machine clicked on and she heard Darien's voice cheerfully asking her to leave a message so he could call back. When she heard the beep she spoke.

"Darien, it's me, Serena. Listen, I know you're angry with me, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted so ungrateful to you after you took me out for dinner. It's just I'm so fed up of people acting as though I can't look after myself, or being hostile to other friends for no reason, that I just . . . well I guess I just snapped and I'm sorry for that. Please call me back? I need to talk to you. Bye." her voice was sad, pleading even, as she hung up.

She stood there, one hand still resting on the phone, her face titled to the ground as her shoulders shook and a tear slid down her cheek.

Serena was confused and scared. Maybe she'd completely messed everything up this time. What if she had? What about Rini, and Crystal Tokyo?

The phone rang under her hand, startling her into staring at it, her eyes still watery with unshed tears. The ID read _Darien_. For some reason she couldn't explain Serena really didn't want to pick up the phone.

She did so anyway. "Hello."

"_Hi." _Darien's voice was a little cold and she winced. He was so mad at her!

"How are you?" she asked. Her voice was so quiet, subdued.

"_I've been better."_

There was silence on both sides for a while. Sammy had stopped behind the living room door and was listening to his sister's voice with one fist clenched.

"I didn't expect you to ring back so fast." Serena admitted after a minute.

"_I just walked through the door." _was the reply. _'He's not gonna make this easy is he.' _Serena thought sadly.

"Oh." then she added, "Where were you?"

"_Why do you want to know?" _he paused then explained. _"Shopping."_

Serena thought he'd been shopping a lot lately. "Oh, ok. So, I take it you heard my message."

"_Yes."_

He really was angry with her.

"Ok." Serena took a deep breath. _'Here goes nothing.' _"I wanted to apologise for the way I acted."

"_Go on." _

She blinked, she'd already explained all this in the message. Why did he want her to say it again?

"It was wrong of me and ungrateful." she supplied, unsure of how to react. He was being so cold to her and it confused her even more.

"_It was." _Darien agreed. Serena snapped again.

"What do you want me to say? I've already apologised Darien I don't understand what you want me to do!"

There was a pause on the other end of the line and then _"Bye Serena."_

"No! Wait!" she cried hurriedly. When she didn't hear the click that meant he'd hung up she took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me lately I'm just . . . stressed. I guess it's from the troubles at the flat."

She didn't add that the repairs were almost finished now and that she'd be moving back in there next week.

"_I suppose." _said Darien. Another awkward silence. _"Maybe we should take a break."_ he suggested finally.

She thought her heart had stopped. "What? Why?"

"_Serena," _he sounded irritated or bored. Maybe both. _"We're at each other's throats. I just think it'd be for the best."_

Serena had a flashback to five or so years ago when he'd broken up with her because of a dream. _A dream!_ She hadn't said at the time but that had seriously annoyed her. She came out of her reverie in time to hear her name.

"I'm still here. I was just thinking." she took a deep breath. She needed some answers and if she didn't get them now she might not get the chance. "Do you trust me?"

There was silence on the other end of the line. Shocked or hesitant, she couldn't tell. Serena held her breath as she waited.

"_Of course, Serena. Why wouldn't I?" _she frowned; his voice sounded funny.

"It's just, sometimes it doesn't seem it. Especially the other night at dinner." she paused. "When the StarLights walked into the restaurant, you were acting as though they were a threat to you. I want to know why."

"_I just don't trust them." _Darien said dismissively. _"What's not to understand about that? They're not from this galaxy. And when I wasn't here Seiya kept trying to put the moves on you."_

"Seiya did not try to put the moves on me." she snapped. "He tried to be a friend and console me when I thought my boyfriend had abandoned me."

"_I was _dead _Serena."_

"I didn't know that!" she put a hand to her forehead tiredly. She could feel a headache coming on and she didn't like the way this conversation was going.

"_Amara doesn't like him either." _Darien said pointedly.

"That's because Amara is over-protective of me. And it's no excuse for the way you behaved that night."

"_Forgive me for not liking it when another guy swans in and tries to get close to my girlfriend." _said Darien sourly.

"Will you stop being jealous?!" Serena had had enough of this. "You're acting like a little kid."

"_I'm not the one shouting." _Darien stated calmly.

"No, but you are the one letting jealousy and mistrust get in the way of this relationship. Like it or not Darien, Seiya and the others are my friends. They're not even originally guys; they are _girls_. You're just going to have to trust me."

"_I don't trust him."_

"Then I'm sorry, but you've no choice."

She thought she heard him mutter 'we'll see' but couldn't be sure. All she definitely knew she could hear was silence. She imagined crickets chirping in the stillness and shook her head to get rid of the thought; this wasn't the time for silly daydreams.

"_Look, I've got to go. I'm meeting some of the other members of the research team for dinner and I've got to get ready and leave in the next five minutes."_

Now that irked her. She was his girlfriend, surely their relationship was more important than that, especially if it was on the rocks. Nor was it the first phone call to end this way.

"Don't let me keep you." she said icily. If he didn't want to sort this out together then she'd just have to do it alone.

"_Ok."_ he said distractedly. _"Bye Serena."_ he hung up.

She stared at the phone in her hand in disbelief. _'He didn't say 'I love you'. What's going on?'_ then she blinked and felt a lump in her throat. _'Wait, did he just . . .'_

She replaced the phone in a daze and stared at it.

Sammy unclenched his teeth and fists and walked through the door, putting on a normal façade for his sister. "Hey Serena, was that Darien? Everything ok?"

She turned to look at him. One minute her face was blank, devoid of everything but shock. The next there were tears in her eyes. "I think . . . I think he just . . . Broke up with me." the tears began to overflow, one or two slipping down her cheeks.

Sammy walked over to her and hugged her reassuringly. Growth spurts meant that he was now taller by a few inches. The hug broke the dam and Serena's tears flowed freely as she sobbed into his shoulder.

* * *

Mina put her cell phone down on the coffee table and stared at it. Amy watched her carefully; the Senshi of Venus was deep in thought.

Amy had just finished telling her about what her mom had said when the phone rang. Mina's voice and face had gone from curiosity to shock and then to sadness.

"What was it?"

Mina shook herself from her thoughts and looked at the Senshi of Ice and Wisdom unhappily. "That was Sammy, Serena's little brother." she looked around her living room as though it would help say the next words. "Darien called Serena. They had an argument and I think he's broken up with her."

Amy looked at her hands folded in her lap. The girls' tea sat forgotten on the table between them.

"I spoke with the StarLights and got some answers for Serena," Mina continued quietly. "I also asked Seiya to talk with her, as it would help him and he might be able to help her. Goddess knows we haven't been much good." Mina's hand fell limply onto the table, her voice thick with regret. Amy put her own hand over Mina's comfortingly.

Mina smiled at her, withdrew her hand and picked up the phone again, dialling a number that Amy couldn't see. "I need to make a call. Please help yourself." she gestured to the tea and cookies and then she was gone. Amy heard her voice as the other person answered and glanced at the biscuits.

As a Senshi she felt useless; she hadn't protected her Princess during the final battle with Galaxia and had had to entrust her to others' care instead, a job she should have been able to complete. As a friend she felt worse still; she had no idea how to help Serena, one of her very best friends, through this and how to make it right again.

Mina walked back into the living room to find the soon-to-be-again Mercurian staring at the tea cup without seeing it. "Amy," she said gently. "Is something wrong?"

Amy looked up, roused by the blonde's voice. "I just feel so helpless. We can't do anything to help her and right now the future we know should happen is spiralling out of sight. I don't know what to do."

Mina nodded and resumed her seat opposite the cerulean-haired girl. "I know how you feel." she replied simply. Then she looked at Amy thoughtfully. "That's not all, is it." she stated suddenly. It startled Amy, who blinked at her a few times before her expression softened. She smiled gently, but it was a smile that showed the sorrow Mina knew lay heavy in her heart, and shook her head as admission.

"So what is it?"

Amy hesitated, unsure of how to phrase it. "I'm worried, Mina."

"About what? Serena? I'm sure it'll all work out in the end."

Amy shook her head "Not that, about the StarLights."

Mina looked at her quizzically and Amy sighed, knowing she would have to continue.

"Mina, what do you feel for Yaten?"

Mina moved back a few centimetres before she realised what she was doing and stilled. She avoided looking into Amy's sapphire eyes and bit her lip. Good question, one she hoped she knew the answer to.

"I care for him." was her vague reply. Her voice was quiet and guarded.

"No, I mean really, how do you feel?" Amy looked almost pleading, as though begging Mina to understand.

Mina opened her mouth to speak, closed it again, then sighed and answered. "How did you get so observant about these things, Amy?" she chuckled weakly. Amy smiled and Mina took it as a cue to continue. "Honestly, I'm not sure. All I know is I was happy when they were here. When they left, when he left, I was crushed. I'd been hoping, perhaps selfishly, that they'd stay." her eyes, previously downcast, now looked up. Mina closed her eyes and smiled. "I guess . . . I guess you could say I love him."

"Love, not _loved_." Amy said, needing to clarify. When Mina nodded she smiled to herself. "I'm glad I'm not the only one." she spoke after a while.

Mina looked at her, suddenly sad. "So I am right; you do love Taiki."

Amy nodded, a tear spilling onto her clasped hands. Mina was instantly beside her, enveloping the fragile-looking girl in a reassuring hug.

"He seemed a little disappointed when he opened the door and saw I was there." Mina told her, hoping the thought would cheer Amy up a little. Amy chuckled quietly and Mina felt encouraged. "Seiya was worried about Serena, deeply so. And when I woke up Yaten was staring down at me and his eyes were wide and almost scared."

Amy nodded; Mina had told her about the fainting spell.

"So, I'm not sure they did move on. But I think Taiki and Yaten are scared to be back." Mina confided in her. Amy looked up at her, blue eyes searching for a hint of dishonesty in Mina's clear blue orbs. Her gaze turned from searching to questioning.

"Why would they be scared to return?"

"I'm not sure. Yaten explained that he and Taiki had opposed the idea at first, but they came around eventually." Mina didn't want to disclose Seiya's recent adventure. It was his story to tell. "I think they wanted to return, but after they finished restoring Kinmoku they kept putting it off for one reason or another, I think. I'm not sure, they're just so confusing, but I do know that they are all scared and worried."

Amy nodded and wiped a tear away.

"I called Seiya." Mina told her quietly. "I asked him to go see Serena tomorrow, to give her chance to calm down a little and let it sink in. He wanted to go tonight but I said it would be too soon."

Amy nodded again in agreement. It would be too soon. A day or two would at least allow the news to sink in and give Serena some time to sort through her mind and emotions.

Amy looked up suddenly, her whole posture taking on a determined air. "Excuse me Mina, but there's something I need to do."

* * *

Serena awoke the next morning to sunshine gleaming through her window. _'How ironic'_ she thought dully. She lay there for five minutes trying to recall why she was so sad. She frowned as she struggled through the lest dregs of sleep to remember. Then the memories came back, sharp and clean-edged as a sword, and the tears fell anew.

It was a full half hour or so before she stopped. Serena was surprised she had any tears left at all. Poor Sammy had been her shoulder to cry on for a couple of hours after that dreadful phone call. Then he'd sat her down in the living room and gone to make her some tea and she had heard his voice in the kitchen talking to someone on his mobile. When he came in it was to find her staring at the ring on her hand. Him merely saying her name had made her cry.

With a sigh she heaved herself out of bed and into the shower. A part of her hoped that the hot water would wash away the pain, but she knew it wouldn't. Afterwards she padded dolefully back into her room to dress in jeans and a t-shirt. She looked at the bunny on her stomach and sighed. It was going to be a long day.

"Serena, honey, are you awake?" Ikuko asked warily as she edged around the door. Serena watched her in the mirror. Ikuko took one look at her daughter and sighed, wrapping her in a secure embrace.

"Sweetheart, I know it hurts, but I promise you that the pain will fade eventually. Time heals all wounds, even those of the heart."

Serena didn't answer, only sobbed into her mother's arm. Ikuko held her even after the crying had subsided; Serena wasn't meant to be this way, upset and depressed. She had come in from shopping yesterday to find Sammy looking lost and angry in the living room with Serena crying with her head on his lap and Sammy stroking her hair awkwardly. Ikuko had relieved him and five minutes later a ball had been kicked very hard several times against the back wall. Serena didn't have an outlet for her pain like that, and Ikuko was at a loss as to how to help.

"Serena," she said after several minutes. Serena "hmmm'd" in response. "I'm baking bread in the kitchen, would you help me knock back the dough?"

Serena nodded and followed her mother into the kitchen. Sammy had a party that weekend and he was taking rolls for the barbecue, so Ikuko was making them ready. There was a lot of dough to bake. The first few Serena half-heartedly pulled and kneaded but then, on the fifth or sixth batch, she suddenly punched it so hard Ikuko heard the thud of her hand hitting the counter.

Ikuko Tsukino watched her out of the corner of her eye warily. Her daughter wasn't usually violent, in fact Serena detested violence, but it was good to see her letting off some steam. A few more punches and some tears later those batches of rolls were in the oven.

"Thanks mom." Serena muttered, understanding her mother's intention. Ikuko smiled and enfolded her in another hug before pushing her towards the living room where Sammy was playing a video game. Serena joined in half-heartedly for a while before announcing she was going to take a walk.

Serena realised that saying it was all well and good, but now that she was out of the house she wasn't sure what to do with herself. She meandered her way into the park and walked through the trees, avoiding the open sunny places where she knew couples would be.

When had it all gone so wrong? She supposed from the start after Galaxia. For a few months she had continually compared Darien to Seiya in her mind. Then she had managed to push it all away. Then she and Darien had started growing apart.

Little things at first; phone calls were spread out, so were dates. Darien began to work more and Serena had gotten a job. _'Actually I'd better call in and apologise for not turning up last night' _she thought darkly. She then proceeded to do just that. Her boss said not to worry and to come in tomorrow.

She was grateful to Mina and Amy for trying to support her by getting answers, and she knew that both had things to tell her, but she didn't want to face any of them just yet.

As Serena examined her feelings she slowly realised what subconsciously she had known for a while.

She dimly heard her name being called and turned slowly. Kakyuu was standing by a tree about ten feet away, disguised as Blaze once more in black jeans and a grey t-shirt. Her hair today was in a high ponytail and gave the impression of a fiery cascade as it flowed down her back.

"Are you alright Serena?" Blaze repeated. Serena nodded and hung back, unsure of whether to continue walking or to join the red-headed girl. When Blaze motioned to Serena to join her the blonde decided to.

Blaze led her to a small pond hidden by a screen of willows and sat on a small boulder beneath one of the trees. "What is wrong? I can sense you are unhappy, Serena."

Serena hesitated and opened her mouth to say that she was fine, but what poured out instead was the truth and her tears. Blaze listened patiently and comforted the girl until her tale was finished.

"First I would like to thank you for keeping my identity and presence a secret. I do not wish to be known for the time being. Only yourself, Lady Mina and Lady Mercury know who I am." Blaze began quietly.

Serena nodded. "I figured you wore a disguise for a reason. So long as you don't become Kakyuu in front of them the spell to prevent them from recognising you will hold. I still don't understand why you allowed me to know. But Amy and Mina will keep your secret I promise." she sniffed.

Blaze nodded. "I know." she gathered Amy to be Lady Mercury. "And as for your story, I am afraid that there is only so much you and the others can do. If it is his wish to go then you must let him."

Serena began to cry again and Blaze put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "On Kinmoku we have a saying; if you love something you must let it free; what comes back to you is meant to be."

"We have that saying as well." Serena said around her sobs. She sniffed and looked at Blaze with watery eyes. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"To answer the question you won't speak aloud, I returned with my StarLights because they were unhappy and to help two very dear friends." Blaze smiled gently as Serena looked at the water. "To answer your spoken question, unhappiness does not suit you at all. Seiya was right; your shine should never go out." she smiled again, "Did you know that I once knew you as Serenity?"

Serena's stare told her she didn't. "During your life a thousand years ago I was also alive. My mother and yours were allies and friends. During your early years my mother, Queen Keahi visited often and brought me along. We used to play together in the gardens of the Moon Palace."

Serena realised that it was true; small memories filtered through her mind for her to examine. A young Princess Kakyuu and herself playing in a field of flowers and laughing together.

"We were close then, and I still feel close to you now. You haven't changed much in a thousand years; you can still make almost anyone like you." she chuckled. "But if anything you are less sheltered now, and I love the wisdom and grace I see in your new eyes. In many ways it makes you even more beautiful than you were and adds something to you that never was, and I know you're not as naïve and complacent as you pretend."

Serena ducked her head guiltily and Kakyuu chuckled again. Her voice was melodious like the breeze through the willows. Serena realised she felt at ease with the Kinmokune Princess.

"Now then, how about you and I go for some ice cream? I still haven't tried it yet and I just know it would cheer you up." Blaze smiled.

Serena returned the smile a little. Somehow she knew that Blaze/Kakyuu would support her in whatever decisions she made now. Together they walked into the sunshine and warmth and headed for the ice cream parlour that was nearby.

* * *

Sailor Pluto stared intently into the depths of the Garnet Orb. She could see vague images. Crystal Tokyo; Fading. Small Lady in danger of vanishing too without a trace. The future was altering significantly. And it had been since _they _had arrived.

She frowned. Something had to be done. The Inner Sol Senshi were doing nothing; only helping the disruption further. She didn't know what Neptune and Uranus were going to do; Uranus especially was loyal to the Earth Prince. Neptune would follow Uranus she knew. Saturn usually tried to stay neutral, although she was not fond of these outsiders returning; they had brought danger with them last time.

Sailor Pluto looked behind her to the Time Gate. Still solid. She remembered when she had been initiated as a Guardian as a young girl. Others had been initiated with her.

The main Guardians of Time, Light, Shadow, Fate and Souls had all grown into strong women. The lesser Guardians she had not known so well. The Keeper of the Souls, being High Princess of her kingdom and daughter of the previous Guardian Senshi leader, as well as the strongest of her generation, was charged with keeping the others in line as well as protecting Fate and Time as one. Through her eyes, the two entwined. Pluto answered to her as well as to Princess Serenity, the Princess of her own system.

The Guardian Leader rarely became involved with events, preferring instead to send others to investigate the matter first.

Pluto had sensed their arrival, if not their identities.

Sailor Pluto looked at the Orb again and her dark eyes became darker still. She had to do something to correct the mistakes that had been made. But what?

Somehow she would have to get Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion back together. But how?

She pondered the matter further as the mists swirled over her realm.

* * *

Mid-afternoon.

Seiya walked along the path in the park, for once at peace with himself. He had missed this; being able to stroll in the company of others who didn't recognise him as a Protector of Kinmoku and its Princess. It filled him with a sense of calm.

He felt selfish for dragging his brothers here. They were hurting worse now than they had at home. Home. For Kinmoku the word rang hollow in his mind. For Taiki and Yaten he wasn't so sure of where they felt they belonged any more.

He heard a familiar tune playing nearby, recognising it as one of his own he smiled. 'Chasin' After You'. One of the last he'd written. One of his favourites. He smiled in the warm sunshine and fresh air.

All in all, he guessed he'd just missed this whole damn planet.

Seiya remembered Mina's visit and the phone call he'd received from her last night and his expression darkened. How dare Darien treat Odango that way. She didn't deserve it. She was too precious. Hers was a light meant to shine forever in the darkest of nights. A light that to many meant hope and life. How dare he threaten it.

He took a deep breath to calm down. Seiya hoped she was alright. The brief glimpse of her in the restaurant suggested she was, although he'd vaguely noticed her glare once or twice at her boyfriend.

Was he her lover? If he was her boyfriend then surely that would follow. But maybe they weren't at that stage. Yet.

He shook himself and glanced at his watch. Four in the afternoon. Maybe he should go see her now.


	7. Chapter 7

**Here you go guys, I'm sorry it's a little late; I had problems with this one at almost every turn and re-wrote it loads of times. I still reckon it's a little drawn out *grimace* but it's here now so I hope you enjoy it. Sorry for any spelling mistakes; I'm my own proof-reader again at the minute.**

**Thanks to all my reviewers for their continual encouragement, I couldn't keep this up without you. I'd have probably quit it before now. **

**This one's for my boyfriend, who practically chained me to the laptop at one point, and all my friends at sailor-moon-live, for their encouragement and helpful ideas. I owe you guys *grins***

**STAGE ON! ~Eb~**

* * *

Serena parted ways with Blaze outside the ice cream parlour with a smile and a wave. Spending time with the disguised Fireball Princess was fun and had a certain thrill to it that came from the risk of being discovered. Blaze had enabled her to forget about Darien for a while.

Serena's pace slowed as her thoughts crashed to a standstill. _Darien_. For that brief while she had forgotten. But now . . .

Serena shook her head, dislodging tears from the corners of her eyes, and began to run.

'_He broke up with me!'_

'_I cant believe it!'_

'_Why, Darien? Why did you do it again?'_

Serena ran blindly. She didn't know where she was running to, only that she was running. There was a terrible pain in her chest and she had to run. Run anywhere. Run away.

*

Seiya was walking along a path to head out of the park when someone ran past him. Turning he recognised the blonde hair and called out to her, but Serena was already either too far away or too deep in her pain to hear him. His hand froze in mid-air as he saw a glittering droplet on the back of his hand. A tear.

'_She's crying?'_

He looked up and a determined spark entered his eye as he sped off after her.

'_Damn it Odango you don't have to go through this alone!' _he thought desperately. _'I won't let you go through this alone!'_

He reached a fork in the path and looked every way he could see. No sign. He growled in his throat at the problem. _'Nothing for it.'_

Seiya closed his eyes and focused intently until his surroundings faded from his mind and he was standing in the void left behind.

'_Find her.'_

He concentrated on _her _and only her.

'_Find her light.'_

Her smile and laughter.

'_Find her shine.'_

Her love and pain. Her tears and her joy.

'_So I may protect her.'_

A faint flicker in the abyss ahead of him. It flickered once, twice, three times. Quicker and quicker until it was a single steady pulse of light.

'_Now guide me to her.'_

He opened his eyes and the park returned. But now he could sense her very spirit. He could see her glow overlying the surroundings. It was like a trail of shimmering stardust that he had to follow before it faded forever.

Seiya ran and ran, urging himself to newer faster speeds, until he thought his heart and lungs would burst from lack of oxygen and still he ran. His only thoughts were of her.

'_Please let me get there before something happens.'_

He came to a stop when he saw her shine as a steady glowing shape. Blinked and he could see a screen of willows. He could also hear her sobs.

'_Odango.' _The thought of her being in so much pain tore him in two. He walked slowly towards her hiding place quietly, not wanting to scare her off. He stopped just beyond the fringe of green leaves.

"Why, Darien? Why would you do this to me again?"

Seiya clenched both fists and gritted his teeth. Mina had called him to tell him what was happening and Seiya had voiced his opinion of the Earthen Prince in loud angry tones. Mina had agreed and hung up. Seiya had ranted around the apartment angrily, saying that Darien was killing her slowly. And here was his proof.

He couldn't stand it when she was in pain like this! She should never be hurt like this! She didn't deserve to have anything bad happen to her! She was too pure and sweet and good for anything bad to happen to her.

Her voice sounded broken and agonised and it wasn't right! Hers should be light and happy.

He parted the veil of leaves quietly, hoping their rustle didn't disturb her. She didn't hear anything over her tears and her heartbreak. Now he could see her.

The surface of the pond behind her glittered as it reflected the sunlight onto her figure, making her appear to glow. Her petit frame shook with her sobs, her knees drawn up to her chest, arms folded atop them and her face buried in the nest they created. She was sitting on the bank of grass beneath the willow, crying. Her soul torn apart.

'Odango . . .' he thought sadly. He felt he couldn't move, only watch her as she cried her pain. His expression was a mixture of intense feelings. Love; he loved her no matter what anyone said or did. Anger; how dare that _Terran _make her hurt so. Helplessness; _'I shouldn't just stand here, I should comfort her or leave her to her tears.'_ Admiration; she was so brave, trying to deal with it alone so as not to worry anyone else.

He felt moisture on his cheeks and raised a hand to find out why. His fingertips were coated with water when he took them away from his skin. Tears. He was crying. But he _never _cried. His gaze went from the glittering drops on his fingertips to the angel before him and was filled with a new resolve.

'_I will take away this pain that you feel. At the very least I will lessen it. I am Seiya Kou, Sailor StarFighter, and I do not lose. I will not lose now.'_

He moved cat-quietly towards her and wrapped her in his arms.

*

Serena stopped crying abruptly and raised her head a little, eyes wide with shock as she felt the sudden warmth of a solid body behind her.

"Don't cry, Odango." was the gentle plea.

She drew in breath, not daring to look to confirm what her mind and heart told her.

"Odango, please, don't cry. It doesn't suit you."

She turned her head and was met by a navy blue shirt covering a broad flat chest. She could feel the muscles beneath the cloth. She could feel the person resting their head on hers. The arms around her held her securely but didn't restrict her. She watched long silky blue-black hair fall over his shoulder and before her crystal-blue eyes.

"Seiya?" she whispered, hardly daring to believe it.

"I'm here." he answered her gently, much more calmly than he actually felt. "Don't worry, I'm here now." he raised one hand to stroke her hair reassuringly.

Serena felt her eyes water again and gave in to a fresh round of tears. She returned the embrace, burying her head in his chest, arms moving to encircle his waist to hold him tight as she cried again.

Seiya said nothing more, only held her and stroked her hair gently until the sobs subsided into hiccoughs. He was acting far more gently and calmly than he felt. He wanted to find Shields and rip his throat out for hurting her so badly, but he held the impulse in check and stayed where he was because Serena needed him more than Darien needed a kick up the rear. He continued to hold her when her own grip around him relaxed, and allowed her the freedom to move when she moved back a little to look up at him.

"Seiya, why are you here? How did you find me?" her voice was a little thick from crying so much, but was still as gentle and kind as he remembered.

"You ran past me in the park." he explained softly. "I followed. I couldn't leave you alone while you are in so much pain." his eyes were soft, glittering blue in the reflected light from the pond. In that moment they truly looked as though some higher power had taken the clear midnight sky and all it's stars and captured them in the eyes of a mortal.

It was a look she recognised, the same heartbroken expression from the school rooftop the last time he'd been on Earth. Again his voice echoed in her head; _'Am I not good enough?'_

"Everyone is worried about you." Seiya continued. She broke free of her thoughts to listen. "Mina called me last night to tell me what had happened. She asked me to make sure you were alright."

At the mention of last night she lay her head on his chest again and fresh tears came to her eyes. She was amazed there were any left.

"I'd have come to talk to you even if she'd told me to stay away regardless." Seiya admitted. "I can't heal until I know you're happy and safe."

She gazed up at him again. Now he was staring at the water, not at her. She followed his gaze.

"I'm sorry I worried everyone." she said quietly.

Seiya blinked and looked back at her. He could see the tears in those blue depths, the sad serenity of her face. In that instant she appeared to be the Princess that Kakyuu had told her StarLights Serena was. A young, heartbroken Princess that had given everything up for the kingdom that she loved so dearly.

"It's ok. I'll call Mina in a minute and tell her I found you. She called your home and your mom told her you were out. She phoned me sounding a little worried." he took his phone out of his pocket as he spoke and proceeded to type out a message.

"Tell her I'm sorry." Serena repeated.

"Odango . . ." he sent the text and looked up to see her now watching him. "You have nothing to apologise for. We're all concerned for you; you've just broken up with you boyfriend of several years," Seiya's voice was tense but then the emotion vanished, "you're going through a rough patch. Of course we'll be worried."

Serena gave him a watery smile and Seiya took a deep breath. _'Now or never right?'_

"Odango," his hesitant tone had her turning to look at him immediately, "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

The watery smile vanished to be replaced by a frown. She wasn't sure if she did want to. She caught sight of Seiya staring seriously at the pond again and the frown vanished too. She remembered that he hadn't really liked Darien. So he wouldn't like talking about Darien now; she could feel him getting a little tenser.

'_He's trying to help again. Trying to get me to talk about what I'm feeling.'_

She sighed and decided she might as well.

"Darien and I . . . we haven't exactly been close lately." she began slowly.

Seiya watched her from the corner of his eye, remembering Mina's words in the apartment; _"Then again, he isn't really talking to Serena or most of the Senshi at the minute so . . ."_

"We drifted apart. It's been happening for a while really, I suppose. We didn't see or call each other so often, and the time in between got longer. The rift between us wider." she paused, considering admitting something to him. "I kept comparing him to someone else, not out loud of course but . . . I think he sensed it."

'_Comparing him to who?' _Seiya thought a little bitterly. Then he caught on; _'Wait! Surely not . . .'_

"Then he started acting weird, working later, he got really defensive." she smiled but it was humourless, "We fought more and more. Over little things." she looked at him. "Then we saw you four at the restaurant."

Seiya spluttered a little but she raised a hand to silence him.

"It's not your fault, it's mine. I should have realised." she stared back at the pond. "I just never realised he was so jealous."

Seiya continued staring at her. He couldn't believe he was hearing this. _Darien _was jealous of _him_? When _Darien _had Serena and not Seiya?

"We didn't speak for a couple of days after that. When we did speak we argued. He accused you of trying to put the moves on me last time you were here." she ignored Seiya's part-guilt part-anger grimace. "No matter what I said, it came down to one thing."

Seiya watched a tear slip down her smooth cheek.

"He just didn't trust me anymore."

Seiya watched helplessly as she dissolved into tears again. All he felt he could do was hold her again until she stopped.

He didn't get it. When he'd left three years ago he had left her happy and safe. Darien was back from the dead and she had all her Senshi around her again. She had been happy. And with no more evil to threaten the Earth or the rest of the Solar System, he had left her safe. Now he was back and she was no where near the happy girl he remembered.

She stopped eventually and pulled a handkerchief from her pocket to dry her eyes. "I'm sorry Seiya, you're all wet." She gave him a watery smile, or attempted to anyway. It made his heart break more to see her attempts at covering up her sadness.

He didn't care for the shirt. He'd slipped out of the apartment in jeans and a navy t-shirt and sunglasses hoping he wouldn't be recognised by his fans. The t-shirt was old and didn't matter. She mattered.

"It's fine, Serena. Really I don't mind." he smiled at her warmly and some of the spark seemed to return to her eyes. "I'm sorry to make you re-live it, and I'm even more sorry that you're hurting so much. And that I can't really seem to be able to take it away."

Serena noticed that his eyes became darker as a distance came about him. No, not a distance. A sadness that made him seem far away. That heartbroken expression had returned to his eyes. Suddenly he didn't seem as confidant as before.

"Seiya, are you ok?"

He looked up at her, the dark blue eyes that had previously been so sad were now cautious and curious. He realised he was worrying her and smiled, nodding, a mask of warmth and happiness falling into place.

She didn't buy it. "Why did you guys come back now? You didn't before, despite our invitation."

He was taken aback. She had put aside her own misery for the time being and was focusing on him.

Seiya cleared his throat, unsure of what to say. This was like talking to Mina all over again. Only worse, because this was Serena. "There were some problems on Kinmoku." he explained vaguely, remembering how Yaten had told Mina. "Nothing Senshi related but . . . Our Princess decided we needed a vacation. She sent . . . She sent us here to heal."

Serena didn't miss the pauses. "What happened? Not an enemy?"

Seiya caught the worried tone of her voice at the thought of a new enemy and hastened to reassure her. "No, it wasn't an enemy." he smiled when she exhaled slowly in relief.

Seiya stood up abruptly and Serena looked at him in surprise.

"I'll walk you home." he explained with a shrug. "It's getting cold out."

"Oh, you don't have to." she said quickly.

Seiya met her gaze with a cheeky grin. "Of course I have to Odango. If I didn't, I'd be too worried you'd get yourself run over."


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey people! Sorry this took me so long. You'll be glad to know my boyfriend chained me to the laptop again lol. Gomen ne minna, I don't know why I've started struggling lately, but here's hoping it's only a temporary thing yeah! *smiles***

**Well here it is! I hope you enjoy it. Many thanks to my reviewers! Too all those who asked for suspense I hope I managed to deliver, and there are some cute bits to this one as well. I'm trying to show how other characters have matured a little, so just tell me what you think k?**

**So what is Serena going to do now that Seiya's back? How is Seiya going to hold up being so close and yet so far? Will Yaten and Taiki manage to heal their own hearts? What is Blaze/Kakyuu planning for our favourite Senshi? Will I be quicker with the next update? (LOL gomen). It's all right here in everyone's favourite story; Ethereal Destiny!**

**On with the show! STAGE ON!!! ~Eb~**

* * *

Darien walked into the apartment with a sigh and closed the door behind him with a foot. He placed the groceries in his arms down on the small table in the hall and slipped off his shoes before picking the bags up and moving into his kitchen.

He spent five minutes putting them away, much to the amusement of the red-eyed woman sitting on his sofa.

"I hope you are not ignoring me, Prince Darien." Trista said calmly as Darien backed out of the kitchen with a tray.

The once-Prince of Earth jumped and spun, sending the tray crashing to the floor. Trista rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers; the tray and china and cake reassembled itself and jumped back into Darien's hands.

Darien stared from the tray to Trista, who was now inspecting the Garnet Staff idly. He narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone wary. "So the Inner Senshi aren't the only ones whose powers have developed over the last few years."

Trista smiled brusquely. "No. Ours have evolved as well. But if what you are getting at is that I can control time completely you are wrong; we all have our limits you know. On my own I can merely manage 24 hours." she picked a piece of fluff off the trousers of her black business suit and stood up.

"I am here to discuss Serena."

Darien filed the fact of her limits away for future reference and snorted and put the tray on the table, pouring tea from the pot and bringing the cup to his lips. "And why would you do that?"

Trista fixed him with a long hard look. "The future is changing."

Darien shrugged. "I know. But I only said we were on a break, just until she sorts herself out." he sipped his tea, all the while looking at the Time Guardian over the rim of his mug. "Besides, it can be fixed, am I right?"

Trista dropped her gaze. "Not if actions are not taken soon."

Darien nearly choked on his tea. Trista watched him splutter with mild satisfaction. Finally, she was getting through to him.

"The future we are working for is in danger of vanishing completely." She continued, ignoring him. "If it continues at this rate, it will disappear and never return. Small Lady is in danger of vanishing. I will not let that happen."

Darien raised an eyebrow at her. This was unusual; Trista never interfered with the timelines unless she had no other choice.

As if to confirm his thoughts, Trista added "I fear our Princess is losing the path she was set to follow."

"And you want me to . . . Do what? Exactly?" he asked dryly. "I got a phone call off Lita; it went something along the lines of 'back off buddy or else.'"

Trista sighed. Just as she'd feared; the Inner Senshi, not knowing the correct course that should be taken, were encouraging Princess Serenity instead of correcting her.

"You never listened to the Inner Senshi before." Trista mused, remembering various scenes from the Silver Millennium that proved as such.

Darien said nothing.

Trista sighed. "I will leave you to consider my warnings and my plea. I shall return to the Time Gateway, to watch over the future as it is now. I suggest you take heed, or you shall find yourself without the future you look to."

She took several steps towards the front door and paused, turning to look over her shoulder so he could not mistake her final words. "Our Princess spent the evening with Seiya Kou." with that Trista faded into the evening gloom of Darien's apartment.

Darien scowled after her, and continued to do so long into the night.

* * *

Serena was up bright and early the next morning and getting ready for work. Her mother watched her silently, happy but at the same time sad about recent events.

Darien had broken her daughter's heart. Serena had been in a deep depression. That neither she nor any of the other members of their family could lift that depression had hurt. When Serena had gone out for that walk she had been genuinely worried that she would do something silly. It had been a relief when she had been brought home by a young man who had informed them that their daughter had spent the day with his sister and himself.

Ikuko smiled. What was that young man's name again? He had said he was an artist. Seiya, yes that was it. Seiya Kou. Now where had she heard that name?

A quick glance around her daughter's bedroom gave her the answer; the Three Lights CD explained it all. He was an artist alright. A wordsmith. A singer. Ikuko smiled again. For someone so famous he was amazingly polite.

"Mom! I'm heading over to the café! I'll be back at 3!"

"Alright Serena!" Ikuko replied. She smiled as she heard the front door close and watched from Serena's window as the blonde walked a bike up the garden path and pedalled it to work. She was proud of her daughter; she'd really turned her life around.

The phone rang and she hastened to answer it. "Hello?"

"_Mrs Tsukino?" _asked a girl's voice. _"It's me, Mina."_

"Ah, Mina, it's nice to hear from you. How're things at work?" she recalled Serena telling her that Mina worked at a fashion company part-time as well as singing at the same café Serena worked at on evenings.

"_It's good, thanks for asking. My boss has a new line coming in for the fall and everything's all over trying to organise the shoots and shows to debut it." _Mina sounded happy about her work. Then the girl paused. _"I was wondering if Serena was home. I know she's supposed to be working today but we weren't sure if she would go in."_

"You just missed her Mina. She just left for work on her bike." Ikuko twirled the phone cord around her middle finger.

"_Oh, ok. Thanks. Did she say when her shift ends?"_

"It ends at 3." Ikuko told her.

"_Ah. Ok, thank you Mrs Tsukino."_

"Just a minute please." Ikuko said quickly, sensing the girl was about to hang up. "Could you help me with something?"

"_Of course." _Mina sounded curious.

"I was wondering if you knew a Seiya Kou? He walked Serena home from the park yesterday." Ikuko waited for the response.

"_Oh Seiya." _Mina laughed lightly on the other end of the line. _"He's great. He helped Serena a few years ago, you know, when Darien first went to America? Anyway, he has two brothers and a sister, Taiki is eldest, Yaten youngest, and Blaze is really nice. You'd like her."_

Ikuko did not miss the dreamy tone in Mina's voice when Yaten was mentioned and smiled.

"_Anyway, they left three years ago because of a family emergency. They've come back to continue their careers and to get Blaze away from home life and gain some real independence. I'm not surprised that Seiya is looking after Serena now, he really loves her. Even if she doesn't quite see it." _At that last sentence Mina couldn't help a giggle.

Ikuko laughed. Now that didn't surprise her. Serena always failed to see the effect she had on others simply by being herself.

"_The thing is, I think she loves him to. No, not think, I'm actually pretty sure she does. But we all know that now isn't the time, so Seiya's just trying to be there for her. It really hurt him to leave her last time."_

"I thought as much." Ikuko said quietly. "Thank you Mina, I appreciate it."

"_No problem. Bye!"_

"Bye."

Ikuko hung up the phone and stared at it thoughtfully. Finally she shook herself and went to wash the breakfast dishes that were left.

'_I'm glad my daughter has someone to watch over her.' _she thought as she dipped her hands into the bubbles.

*

Mina put the phone down and grinned at Amy. "She's at work. Want to go see her?"

* * *

Serena stood behind the counter, chin resting in her hand. She was at work and bored, even her habit of people watching wasn't saving her this time.

3 hours to go.

_3 hours!_

Serena sighed. It was a slow day at the café.

The little bell tinkled merrily and she opened her eyes in time to see a familiar blonde and bluenette walking towards her.

"Two of your best milkshakes kind lady, one strawberry and one chocolate." laughed Mina.

"But of course. Would there be anything else?" Serena replied with a grin. That was the standard way Mina ordered from here when Serena was serving. A little inside joke between them.

"Perhaps some of your city-famous strawberry-banana cheesecake." Mina grinned.

Serena laughed as she rang up the items on the till. "Certainly miss." she walked over to the display case and removed the two slices of cheesecake, placing them on china plates with cake forks.

"I shall bring you milkshakes to you in a second." Serena smiled brightly, placing the plates on a tray. Mina nodded and she and Amy walked over to a table nearby while Serena began on their milkshakes.

"So Serena," Mina started as Serena joined them at the table, "How was your walk with Seiya?"

Amy watched Serena intently over the rim of the tall glass. The Moon Princess blushed.

"He was just being a friend." she said.

Mina nodded and Amy answered. "Well I think it's really sweet of him to make sure you're ok. He didn't have to do it, and he was already heading over to your parents' house to check on you when Mina called to say you were out."

Mina nodded. Seiya had phoned her after walking their best friend home to inform them that Serena was upset but fine and not about to do something incredibly stupid. He had sounded genuinely relieved.

Serena stared at her cup of coffee. Was Seiya really that concerned for her?

"He was really worried when he found out you'd just walked out." Mina added, smiling secretively. Serena had the sudden thought that maybe Mina could read minds, and then realised in part that this was true in the sense that she could skim the surface thoughts of almost anyone she pleased via their emotions.

Instead of replying she got up to tend to the counter as a customer walked up to order. The two girls watched her carefully as she rang up the orders and sent a ticket back into the kitchen of the café and poured hot water into a teapot for the stranger.

When Serena returned she turned the tables slightly. "Have either of you spoken to Yaten and Taiki yet?"

Amy and Mina looked at each other, Mina blushing faintly as she had, Amy wondering silently when she would.

"I have." Mina said finally. Serena looked at her and she continued. "I suppose I wanted to see if it was true or not."

"And you?" Serena asked Amy curiously. The girl shook her head while smiling apologetically.

Serena sighed quietly. "I guess I was wondering whether they'd said anything to you. Seiya mentioned some trouble on Kinmoku. He said it was personal." she stared at Mina's now empty plate with a small frown. "I can't help but feel worried that it was something terrible."

Mina barely concealed her grimace; _'if she only knew.'_

"Still, I'm glad they're back." Serena said, sounding cheerful again. "Earth was a little boring after they left, no?"

Amy smiled and Mina managed a chuckle. The bell over the door tinkled again, a signal for Serena to return to her post at the till, which she did.

Mina and Amy both had their backs to the counter, so they didn't realise who was there until they heard the people speak.

"How are you today Serena?" asked Taiki's smooth voice. Amy stiffened and didn't turn around.

"I'm fine, thank you." Serena added, a little shortly.

"That's good. Our idiot brother has been worried about you." added another, slightly lighter voice which Mina instantly recognised. Yaten. "And, honestly, so have we."

"Why Yaten, you're admitting your feelings? That's so sweet, thanks guys." Serena's voice sounded cheerful, but the girls at the table recognised the false tone. "Where is Seiya anyway?"

"The recording studio, talking with our manager. Apparently we left some loose ends behind when we vanished off the face of the Earth and now we have to sort them." Yaten explained, sounding a cross between irritated and bored.

"What will you be having?"

"Blaze mentioned something about cake the last time she came here." Taiki said. Amy could hear the smile in his voice; polite and gentle.

"Of course." Serena said. The girls heard her ring up the order and then the blonde whispering something they couldn't catch.

"Yes, of course we will. It'd be our pleasure." Taiki replied, and Serena giggled.

Amy was just starting to wonder what that had been about when a shadow fell across her half-eaten cheesecake.

"Mind if we sit here?" Taiki asked politely, smiling that smile of his. Amy finally looked up and nodded almost shyly, though her expression had more to do with shock than shyness. Taiki sat beside her, in the seat Serena had occupied previously, while Yaten dropped into the chair opposite Mina with a sigh.

"Hey Amy, Mina. What's happening?" Yaten said, smiling a little.

Mina was unsure of how to react. "Uh, nothing really." An expression flashed across Yaten's face, too quick even for her to read.

"How about you Amy?" asked Taiki conversationally, pretending not to notice the pink flush that had yet to fade from her cheeks. "How have the last three years been to you?"

"Oh," Amy's tone was surprised as well as uncertain, "You know. School, college, my apprenticeship, the usual." She laughed awkwardly. _'Did I imagine that, or did Taiki's eyes just narrow slightly?'_

Serena was watching the proceedings from her post at the counter with a frown. Why were they being so awkward?

The bell tinkled again and she sighed and straightened herself and her top. She closed her eyes and announced with a smile; "Good afternoon and welcome to Midnight Café, what will you be having?"

"Nothing I can't have." said an all too familiar voice with what sounded like an all too familiar smirk.

"Eh?" she blinked her eyes open and stared at the raven-haired young man before her. "Seiya?! What are you doing here?"

"Yeah baka, you're supposed to be with the manager." Yaten announced from the table. Mina and Amy both spun in their seats.

"I got him out." said a feminine voice from the doorway. Blaze walked towards the counter gracefully and inclined her head to Serena. "It is good to see you again, Serena. I hope you're feeling better today."

Serena recovered her composure quickly and smiled softly at the Fireball Princess. "Of course I am. I have some terrific friends." Amy and Mina winked at each other. Seiya blushed. "What will you be having this afternoon?"

"Perhaps some more of that cake from before and a coffee? I really did enjoy it." Blaze told her.

"Of course." Serena entered it into the till and then glanced briefly at Seiya. "Will that be a double order?"

Seiya pouted. Ignoring the giggles from Blaze, Yaten and the two girls at the table and Taiki's raised eyebrow at the expression he sighed. "Yeah, sure. Why not?"

Serena nodded and entered it before walking over to the coffee machine and pouring two cups and placing them on a tray with sugar and milk. Then she got the cake as requested. She pushed the tray towards Seiya with a smile, which he slightly returned before he sat down at a table next to the others.

"Having trouble?" Taiki's amused deep voice asked him. Seiya shot him a glare.

"None of your business."

"Now now boys, no fighting." smiled Blaze. "We wouldn't want to upset Miss Tsukino now, would we?"

Serena heard this and looked up, confused, to see both Taiki and Seiya looking ashamed and Yaten, Mina and Amy giggling.

"What'd I miss?" she asked, walking over with two more milkshakes for Mina and Amy.

"Seiya got told." Yaten barely hid a snort of laughter.

"So did Taiki." Mina laughed.

"Told what?" Serena's puzzled question only made everyone else laugh. Seiya and Taiki sighed in exasperation, "What did I say?" Serena felt even more confused.

"Never mind Odango." Seiya sighed. He looked up and smiled, taking a sip of his coffee. Blaze politely ate small piece of coffee and walnut cake with her fork.

Serena muttered something about them not playing fair as she went to clear a table.

Yaten laughed as they all watched her. "She hasn't changed all that much." he observed.

"You'd be surprised." Mina said quietly. Yaten looked at her, puzzled, and she continued. "Maybe not so much on the outside, though her hair is now even longer and her eyes a lot bluer. But on the inside . . ."

"She has changed a lot." Amy finished for Mina. The two girls seemed sad about that. "She's still bubbly and bright when she wants to be, but she's become prone to long silences too, and she's much more mature." Amy considered that and then added, "Sometimes." Mina giggled, though it seemed half-hearted.

"Also, she's worried about you." Mina told Seiya, looking at him with serious blue eyes over her tall glass. Taiki and Yaten nodded; Serena was easy for them to read. The girl wore her heart on her sleeve.

"Me?" Seiya sounded shocked. Yaten rolled his eyes and Taiki placed his head in a hand as if to say _you've got to be kidding me_. Seiya shot them both a glare which they returned with smiles.

"Yes, you." Amy replied simply. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed it. She's worried about what happened to you, because you won't tell her."

Seiya looked at his cake miserably. If she knew what had happened, and what he had almost done, he dreaded to think how she'd react. Yaten, who was nearer, put a hand on his shoulder in support.

Mina read this on Seiya's face and interrupted him angrily. "You don't give Serena enough credit." she snapped. "She's a lot stronger than you think. Yes, she'll be upset. Yes, she'll be a little angry. Maybe even feel a little guilty. But she won't let it stop her from being your friend. She's better than that."

"They're right," Taiki spoke quietly, and Yaten nodded his agreement, "This is the same girl who defeated Galaxia with her own heart, and she taught us how to love."

"She was one of those people, at least." Yaten added, giving Taiki a slightly stern glance that had the more serious StarLight nodding. "And that's not an easy thing to do."

Seiya now looked suitably ashamed of himself and this pacified Mina a little.

"You've got to tell her." Amy said. Seiya looked at her pleadingly. "No buts." She told him sternly. "You've got to. You owe it to her to do that at least. And you said yourself that your Princess brought you here to heal. Let Serena help you with that."

Mina nodded, looking to Blaze for approval. Blaze smiled secretively and her eyes twinkled in fiery mischief. That was exactly what she wanted. Mina smirked, knowing that Blaze, or Kakyuu, was also aiming towards something else.

Perhaps she and Amy may be inclined to help the Fireball Princess with her plans.

Mina nodded, letting Blaze know that she at least would do just that, and Blaze's smile grew a little.

"Besides," Mina added, albeit a little slyly, "It will give her something to take her mind off recent problems."

Seiya's look of misery was replaced by determination and he nodded. It wouldn't be easy, but he'd try.

Another time.

"Seiya," Serena had finished her chore and now sat down next to him. He looked at her curiosly. "What did you mean when you said nothing you couldn't have?"

He laughed. "Maybe you'll find out some day."

"Seiya." She whined. They all laughed and she laughed with them.

*

Outside the café Darien stood across the street. He saw the group deep in conversation and then saw Serena join Seiya and the girl that had been at the restaurant with the Kou brothers. She was smiling and laughing with them.

He scowled. This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

With an ominous expression on his face, Darien Shields headed for home. Trista had been right. It was going wrong. He had to do something.

Fast.


	9. Chapter 9

**Ok guys, sorry it's a little late . . . Again. Also, sorry this is so short. Got writer's block and then decided this was good enough. So I'm gonna leave you all in suspense! *cackles evilly***

**Btw; I call the queen of the Moon Kingdom Selenity in this chap to separate her from the Princess we all know and love. I mean, it's Princess Serenity, not neo, Neo Princess Serenity is Chibi-Usa/Rini so . . . Oh well. My story lol. ;)**

**Here we go! STAGE ON! ~Eb~**

* * *

"And you found . . ." The Lady General shook her head. "I'm sorry, it's a little unexpected."

"We know." Lumina replied. Both she and Amorina where standing before the mirror once more. "Amorina found an intact chamber and within it lay Selenity, encased in crystal. Is everything alright on Sirius?"

The Lady General bit her lip and her two friends and fellow soldiers smiled; it was rare for her to relax enough to make a 'normal' gesture like that.

"I am not sure. There has been pressure from the Ursane Kingdom. Their King demands the Siriun Constellation's Empress respond and meet with him. We are delaying." She bit her lip again. "I don't want to. He must not know I am alive yet."

Amorina watched her, concerned for her friend's safety. "We know. Don't worry, Thuraya, you always get out of these situations."

The Lady General, Thuraya, smiled at her in kind. "Thank you Feryal." Amorina grinned.

"Have you been following my orders with regard to the Moon Princess?" Thuraya was all business again; the brief moment of friendship was over.

"Of course, Lady General." teased Amorina lightly. "Did you think we would be so terrible as to go against them?"

The red-head smirked. "And your findings there?"

Lumina sighed. "Pluto is doing something. We are not sure what it is yet." she hesitated. "She went to see the Terran Prince."

Watching the Lady General's venomous expression they decided they had been right to be cautious. Thuraya had always hated the Prince of Terra.

"And why exactly is she interfering? Her reasoning had better be good." the tone was icy and Amorina shivered.

"We are not sure yet." Lumina repeated.

Thuraya looked down, angry and yet unsurprised. Sailor Pluto had always loved Prince Darien; her decisions had always been a little clouded when it came to him.

"I have looked into the past threads again more closely." The Lady General began. "I have seen the way their lives have shaped themselves. They once hated each other. Only when Serena revealed herself as Sailor Moon and Princess Serenity did he admit to love her. I had always wondered whether he did or not. Now I am even more unsure than before. I know that one of the Princes of the Galaxy Cauldron-"

She turned quickly to her right; someone had called her. "Never mind." Thuraya finished, sounding annoyed. "You're orders are to watch over the Moon Princess and keep her safe. And watch Pluto and the Terran Prince. I do not trust them."

She didn't even say goodbye, simply turned and faded from the glass.

Amorina looked at Lumina questioningly. "Now what?" she asked. Lumina did not answer straight away; she was frowning at the looking glass in concentration.

"We shall just have to do our job." Lumina said finally. "And the best way to get close to them all is to befriend them."

Amorina watched quietly as Lumina smirked. "I believe it is time to introduce ourselves to the Senshi of this System."


	10. Chapter 10

**Oh gods, i am soo sorry about not updating sooner guys! bad Eb, very bad Eb. i had a small case of writer's block and only got passed it the other day, and what with exams and everything it's been hectic at my end of things. All those that ask if Darien gets his comuppance (?) this one's for you; it starts here *cackles evilly*. **

**i also have another ficlet for my "Lights through a Prism" thingy on the way that is Darin/Serena (Mamoru/Usagi) focused, so i'm not all nasty to the Earth Prince! And nobody has guessed yet what that title means anyway lolz.**

**Also have another long fiction on the way so look out for it (see chapsix (i think) of the afore mentioned fic for details or my profile page). And i am so sorry for the shortness of the last chapter, but this will make up for it. And it was not boring, it was intended as a filler (my writer's block again) and a chance to get to know the myterious threesome a little better. But if you thought it was boring then i guess i can't change your mind.**

**Thanks a bunch to all my proboard pals for sticking by me, my boyfriend for chaining me to the laptop _yet again_, and Stratalight for her help and patience. I hope you feel better soon hun!**

**Anyway, enough of my rambling, let's get on with the show! Stage On!  
**

* * *

Darien scowled as he stared at the phone. No little light blinking in welcome. No little light telling him he had a new message on the answering machine. _Nothing._

The scowl deepened.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be. The last time he'd broken up with her, a few years ago now and over something much more stupid than this, his answering machine had been riddled with messages from her; begging him to take her back, asking what she had done wrong, pleading with him.

He growled almost silently.

This was Kou's fault, it had to be. If that . . . _thing_ hadn't returned after so many years of no contact whatsoever things would be the way they should be. The Outer Senshi had filled him in about the three Kous shortly after they had left because Serena and one or two of the Inner Senshi wouldn't talk about them anymore. Female Senshi pretending to be men while they looked for their AWOL princess, and who knew what their true civilian form was. What was the universe coming to these days?

He had been grateful when they had left; they had protected his princess while he had been unable to do much of anything. Although he hadn't been too pleased that one of them had tried to take his girl. Still, they had done him a favour and he had wished them well for it. But they had no business returning now. Three years of no contact and they return now, and Kou trying to get with Serena yet again. And Serena letting him!

There was a piece of paper in his hands, a scrawled message in another's hand. He scrunched it into a small, tight ball with his fists.

He had to do something.

Soon.

* * *

Serena was working quietly in the library when she felt someone coming up behind her. She turned and smiled, instantly recognising the long red hair of Blaze. She rarely thought of her as Kakyuu now, and sometimes she forgot altogether that she wasn't native to Earth, so at peace she seemed with life here.

"How's the assignment going?" asked Blaze with a sweet smile.

With a long sigh Serena blew hair from her eyes. "Long, slow, and boring as hell. Life as a Senshi was more exciting than this, at least. Even when we were waiting anxiously for an enemy to show itself." She closed the politics book in front of her and watched the visiting princess set out her notebook, pens and text books. "How are you finding college?"

Blaze beamed at her. "I love it here. It feels just like home." Blaze gave a small sad smile.

"You miss Kinmoku, don't you." Serena observed.

She didn't respond at first, merely noting down a few comments in her notebook. Eventually she sighed. "Yes, I suppose I do."

"It's understandable though," Serena continued, "You were born and raised there. I'm sure the StarLights miss it just as much as you."

Blaze looked at her for a long time, and Serena held her gaze, returning the stare of red-brown eyes with her own stare of crystal-blue. Eventually Blaze smiled at her.

"You really do seem to understand them, more than most, perhaps." She began, her tones quiet and not misplaced within the confines of the library or for secret conversations. "It is funny; they hardly say a word, and yet you, like me, notice their heartache. Every evening Taiki looks to the stars with such a torn air about him. Yaten watches events on Earth with such a sad intensity. Even Seiya, in some small part, longs for what I call home."

"But they don't call it home?" asked Serena, focusing once more on the words on the screen of her small silver laptop.

"You are quick." Blaze said with a wry smile. "Much smarter than the others give you credit for."

Serena smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry if I misled you, and they all know I'm not as naïve as I used to be, but sometimes they still see me that way." She giggled. "I have my moments still, if you remember; when I met you in the café."

Blaze chuckled herself. "Ah yes, your . . . what did you call it? 'Klutz-attack'?" the two girls shared a quiet laugh. Several students nearby looked up at hearing such a sweet sound, like little silver bells.

They continued writing, or typing, for several minutes before Blaze continued what she had been saying.

"But you are right." Blaze's tone was resigned. "They no longer see Kinmoku as their true home." she sighed. "If I were to be completely honest, I don't believe they know where they belong anymore. Their hearts pull them this way, but their bodies and minds tug at another. They are very confused, and returning here may have hurt them."

"You think you made a mistake in allowing them to return?" Serena asked, trying to mask her disappointment at this conclusion.

It was heard anyway, and the Kinmokune Princess watched her working. "No. I do not. They needed to return here, to heal. Some very disturbing things happened in the past, and I needed them to get over it, perhaps even to move on altogether." Another sigh. "I knew the risks of returning, and that I might lose them. Their hearts are here, on Earth. Their duties are on Kinmoku with me. The loyalties of my StarLights are torn.

Serena absorbed all of this, and was prevented from asking the question on her lips by Taiki's sudden appearance.

"Princess." He nodded at Kakyuu. "Miss Tsukino." He nodded at Serena and then sat down opposite them.

"Taiki, it's Serena, remember." Serena giggled. Blaze smiled, and made no attempt to correct Taiki's use of her title; all three of them at some point had slipped up and called her Princess at one time or another, although Yaten's use of it had been in front of her Cultural Politics lecturer and had caused some amusing results.

Taiki only nodded and took out his Astronomics homework and textbook. He set about answering the questions set for him diligently, and appeared to not notice that the other two were watching him.

"So, Taiki," Serena began, causing him to turn his violet eyes from the page and to her face, "How's Astronomy?" she asked with a smile.

The tallest StarLight tapped his pen against his lip before answering. "It is rewarding." He said at last. Serena raised an eyebrow at him, which prompted him to continue. "I find Earth Astronomy to be in some ways very much different to what I am used to, and in that sense it's a challenge, but one I relish. The information might even prove useful one day."

Serena nodded; Amy had shown her some of what she learned on the same course – Amy took it for fun as a side to Medical Studies – and her work in Astronomy focused largely on vague details. Taiki took it as a major, and went a lot more in depth, the course requiring Physics as well as some other modules.

"How are you finding it? Being back on Earth I mean." Serena asked quietly. Her tone and eyes and features all softened as they watched the young man's shoulders tense up slightly.

There was a long pause, and Serena began to regret asking her question, before the violet eyes returned to her face. "I find it enlightening and rewarding." Was the vague response.

"Do you miss your home?" she asked again. When Taiki refused to answer she frowned. "I want an answer Taiki. It's all well and good your being here but if you or your brothers are upset then it hurts your Princess too. She wants you to be happy and it hurts her when you don't tell her how you feel."

That seemed to get a slightly more urgent response from Taiki than she had intended, and her tone had been angrier than she had meant it to sound as well, so she tried again and gentled her voice. "Look, I know you're here for . . . something." They hadn't quite gotten round to telling her why yet. "But if you are unhappy here then I do not wish for you to stay on Earth. I'd rather you be happy, Taiki, we all would, and if something hurts you then . . . Kakyuu feels the same as me." she finished in a whisper.

Taiki looked to Blaze, who nodded, her expression sombre. He lowered his eyes and sighed, trying to explain.

"It's not that I'm unhappy at returning, it's just that . . . I had finally managed to get over certain feelings, shall we say, and then having to return and have those feelings reawaken . . . I'm not used to feeling, Serena." He said quietly, looking into the blonde's eyes and willing her to understand, hoping that she would. "Before we ever came to Earth none of us felt with this intensity. Well, maybe Seiya did, but I didn't. I barely knew what emotions were. My duty, our duty as StarLights, came first. The protection of the planet and our Princess was everything to us."

She nodded, understanding his point of view if not quite his meaning. She had the same problem with the Outer Senshi sometimes; duty over all else, sacrifice everything for the mission. A sentiment she appreciated, _sometimes_, but didn't approve of herself.

Her nod encouraged Taiki, who began speaking a little less slowly and hesitantly.

"When we first arrived on Earth we were cold, distant. We didn't care for anything, and only for our Princess, no one else. But when we met you and the other girls we . . ." he paused, trying to find the right words. "I'm not sure even now how you did it." he admitted at last. "I'm not sure Seiya or even Yaten know how, but somehow you managed to melt the ice around our hearts. We began to value you all as friends, and to see the value and beauty in others. When we left this world we were not so cruel anymore. We were changed. I thank you for that, Moon Princess."

Another nod, this time with a tight smile and a slight hint of tears in her eyes. He smiled in return and then turned to Blaze.

"Pri-" he smiled at her apologetically, "Blaze, forgive me, but I at least am not entirely loyal to you any longer. I was changed when we left here, and since returning the emotions have returned with me. Seiya ceased to be utterly devoted to you the moment he loved another, but only Seiya has been brave enough to admit his feelings. Despite the hilarity of our last goodbyes to this world," he cast a side glance at Serena, who blushed at the memory and Blaze chuckled; she had found it just as funny as everyone else. "I admire him for it."

Blaze smiled; at least one of her Senshi was being willingly honest with their self; Seiya had only admitted the depth of his depression after nearly dying for it, but only admitted it to his Princess when she directly confronted him about it in the infirmary. "Thank you, Taiki, for your honesty."

He nodded; glad to have it off his chest at last.

Blaze sighed. "Oh how I wish Thuraya were here to see this planet." She murmured. The other two heard her.

"Thuraya?" Serena asked. The name seemed familiar somehow.

Blaze looked at her, realising she had spoken her thoughts aloud. _'I hope she won't mind my telling her of the past, at least.'_

"An old and dear friend of mine." Blaze explained quietly. "And coincidentally, a friend of yours too." Serena looked non-plussed, so she elaborated. "Do you recall nothing of your past, Moon Princess? Nothing of the Trinity Alliance?"

Serena frowned at her laptop in concentration, not noticing Taiki's eyes on her. In truth she did not remember everything of the Silver Millennium, and some of it was hazy. However this was more than hazy; this was a complete blur. Mentally she summoned an image of herself as Princess Serenity standing between two other young women; one a red blur that slowly began to define itself as Princess Kakyuu of Kinmoku, the other still ill-defined and dark.

"Not much." she confessed at length. "Barely anything. I can barely remember you." her tone was apologetic.

Blaze grimaced. "It is to be expected. She warned me you probably wouldn't remember." She saw Taiki appeared curious about the topic as well and decided to tell the story.

"During the Silver Millennium, your mother and my own, Queen Keahi of Kinmoku, became good friends when they were very young women. Shortly thereafter, during a ball at a neighbouring kingdom, they became friends with another, Empress Assyria of the Siriun Constellation. They grew so close, in fact, that they were considered sisters, and formed an alliance between their three kingdoms that became known as the Trinity Alliance."

Here Blaze paused. Serena watched her with a rapt expression on her innocent face, eager to hear more of her mother and her friends. Taiki had raised an eyebrow in surprise; he remembered none of this and yet it sounded vaguely familiar. She smiled at him; he was not a part of her kingdom in that lifetime, but part of another. She continued.

"Time wore on and the young queens married. Each fell pregnant with an heir. My mother gave birth first, and I was born eldest of the Trinity Alliance. Empress Assyria gave birth next to her daughter, High Princess Thuraya of the Siriun Constellation. Queen Selenity of the White Moon Kingdom gave birth last, to you, Princess Serenity of the White Moon, the youngest heir of the Trinity Alliance. As we three grew older we also grew to be friends like our mothers before us. There were arguments, of course, but they never meant very much. we only ceased to be friends when our three kingdoms were destroyed."

Serena looked at the table. That was one memory that was too vivid for her liking.

Blaze pressed on. "The White Moon fell when the Dark Kingdom, the Negaverse, attacked it. My own fell to some force I cannot remember right now. The Siriun Constellation was attacked by the Doom Phantom and Thuraya was never found. However she was . . . recovered, shall we say, two years ago and the Siriun Constellation has been on a more steady recovery since."

That last bit Taiki did know; he had once accompanied his Princess there to attend the coronation of the new Empress. It was a small and quiet affair; she had wished to remain unknown to many outside her kingdom until she decided otherwise. Both she and her Senshi were nothing less than welcoming to Princess Kakyuu and her Senshi. He recalled her image now – another thing that was familiar to him for reasons unknown; long bright auburn hair and dark brown eyes, a proud and tall young woman who was as fierce and loyal a Queen as she was a friend.

Serena had gasped aloud at the mention of the enemy she had defeated. She had not realised she had an indirect connection to him. Kakyuu correctly interpreted the gasp and nodded gravely.

"I will not tell you the state in which she was found; she is still coming to terms with it herself." She said gently.

Now Serena could remember the final member of the Trinity Alliance clearly. A young woman with ideals and the endurance of a true soldier, a true warrior spirit. The picture completed, she was left wondering whether she would meet this ancient ally again.

* * *

The Lady General was in a meeting with some advisors when she sensed the telepathic signature.

'_Kakyuu?'_

_Yes, it is me. You can call off your Senshi now._

'_You knew they were there?'_

_Yes, Thuraya; Feryal isn't exactly subtle. But never mind that, I am watching over Serenity for you._

She thought that one over for a minute or two, waving her advisors off so she could focus on the new conversation. _'You are on Earth? Are you safe? You know I don't want to have to worry about the both of you.'_

A crystal-clear laugh resounded through her mind and she smiled. Thuraya loved that laugh. _I have my Senshi with me, remember? _Thuraya did remember her talking about them. _Besides, Serenity has her own Senshi to protect her, and my own will defend her also, as will I. the Daughters of the Trinity Alliance stand strong._

Thuraya nodded and mentally agreed. She waved off another advisor headed her way and walked out onto a balcony for some privacy, but she still dared not speak her end of the conversation aloud.

Kakyuu spoke in her mind again, and now she was a little more hesitant. _I told her of you today._

Thuraya paused in admiring the stars. _'Why?'_

_Because I felt she should know. I think she'd like to meet you again._

She bit her lip. _'Not yet. In the future, perhaps. In the far future maybe we shall rebuild the Trinity Alliance to what it once was. But not for now. I will come when she needs me, or when another matter needs me. I shall continue to watch over Earth and its course for the moment; the vibrations emanate from there. My Senshi are already closing in around Serenity to protect her should the need arise and her own are not at hand.'_

_Of course._ Kakyuu retreated from her mind and her calming influence went with her.

She sighed when another advisor approached her. She half-listened to his ramblings as she walked inside again.

* * *

Serena walked out of her last lecture of the day with a sigh. Not that politics wasn't interesting, it was, usually, sometimes, but she couldn't wait to start on her Photography assignment; her own personal representation of emotions. She already had several ideas in her mind and wondered if she could maybe persuade Rei to pose for her.

She was so busy thinking of this and keeping her mind off of more unpleasant trains of thought that she walked straight past him.

"Forgot me already, Meatball-head?" he asked her. The tone was light and humorous, but Serena froze at the sound.

"Darien?" she asked quietly, turning around again to look at him. There he was, leaning against the wall at the top of the stairs, waiting for her the way he always used to when he had the time.

"Who else?" with a smile she didn't quite trust for some reason he pushed off the wall and took a step towards her.

She took a step back.

"Serena." He sounded hurt and he frowned, but he stopped moving towards her. "Aren't you pleased to see me?"

She immediately felt guilty for moving away from him. "No, it's just a surprise, that's all." She said, biting her lip. She felt nervous around him, wary, uncertain of her footing. She'd never felt like this with him before.

Seiya turned the corner, intending to catch up to Serena just as she left her lecture, and the sight before him stopped him dead. Quickly, before anybody noticed he was there, he darted backwards a few steps and edged back up to the corner to peer round, not quite believing the sight he had seen.

Serena talking to somebody. Talking to Darien.

Seiya growled silently. What was he doing here? He doubted that the Terran Prince was here to apologise; from what Serena had told him Darien had had no second thoughts about breaking up with her. Though he admitted to himself that he hadn't heard the conversation itself.

He looked again; Serena seemed tense, Darien was frowning, and she looked poised to run from him, like a rabbit from a predator that it is currently entranced by.

Why the hell was Shields here? Should he walk up and intervene? Should he just watch over her, only coming to her rescue when it was important that he do so?

Seiya scowled and focused on the movement of the dark-haired man's lips, trying to get a sense of the words he spoke from a distance away.

"I just wanted to talk to you, Meatball head." Said Darien, smiling. "I haven't been able to contact you for a while now."

"I wasn't aware that you'd been trying, Darien." She replied uneasily. She fiddled a little with her folder and text book before looking at him again; his eyes, still an intensely dark shade of sapphire, were watching her thoughtfully.

He said nothing, only watching. It unnerved her.

She shuffled slightly, re-adjusting her folder and book, then sighed and looked him in the eye again, echoing words spoken to her by Rei not long ago in her head; _stand firm Serena, hang in there._

"Darien, I have things to do, and I'm meeting Blaze and Mina to go shopping, so if you have something to say, just say it."

(Behind his corner Seiya silently cheered for her.)

Darien raised his eyebrows, his blue eyes widening in surprise. Since when had she been so forward? "Who's Blaze?" he asked, then shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I was going to ask whether you wanted to go to Crown for a milkshake, but if you have other plans I'll be going. I can see that I was wasting my time here."

He paused in turning to walk away and looked at her again, his gaze now calculating as well as pensive. "I heard you've been spending a lot of time with Kou lately." He said neutrally.

Serena actually took another step back. "How did you . . . ugh, never mind. Why do you care I'm not your girl anymore." She said stubbornly. She still wanted to know who was telling him things. It had to be the Outer Senshi; her Inners wouldn't do that. Heck, Lita had threatened to break his arm if he came anywhere near Serena, _or_ close enough to her to allow it to happen.

(Seiya frowned; he'd like to know that as well. He knew it wouldn't be Taiki or Yaten; they didn't like the Earth Prince much, especially Yaten for some reason. Kakyuu didn't exactly hate the Terran Prince, but she certainly didn't pay him any attention.)

Darien scowled openly, those intense dark eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "I care because you are mine." He stated simply, focusing solely on the blonde standing before him. "Destiny says you are to be mine, and Destiny is never wrong."

"Funny thing about Destiny," began a feminine voice behind him. Darien turned and Serena looked behind him. Even Seiya peered further round his corner to view the newcomer to the conversation. The girl was Amy's height, with shoulder-length pale blonde hair and brown eyes, wearing a thigh-length black skirt and a pale tan blouse and a choker of a matching colour and a black waistcoat. She was looking at Darien with complete disdain.

"It _can _be re-written." She finished. Her accent was very slight, indicating that she was not Japanese but something else. In one hand she held a Biology textbook against her thigh, the other was placed on her hip in a passive-aggressive kind of way. Her eyes were narrowed at the man, but her final statement caused them to flicker to Serena.

Darien snorted. "And who are you to preach about Destiny? What do you know of it?"

The girl smiled sweetly, although her eyes betrayed the emotion she really felt; they burned fiercely, and it caused Darien to have some misgivings about her that he couldn't explain.

"I think I know _far_ more than you do." She answered mysteriously. "And yourself? Who are _you_ to preach about life's mysteries when you have barely begun to live yourself?"

Darien only stared at her, and she smirked triumphantly. "Come on," she said to Serena, "Let's get you out of here before he regains his tongue, ne?" the strange girl winked at her and walked over to Serena and looped an arm through hers, leading her towards Seiya and his corner even as Darien stared after them.

"Thanks for that." Serena whispered when they were a few meters down the hall.

The girl smiled. "It's no problem. They guy's a jerk; all that bull about Destiny, he knows nothing about it. Destiny can be re-written all the time. Even the smallest decision can change it's flow and path." She stopped and held out a hand to Serena. "Name's Feryal Makana."

Serena smiled and shook it. For some reason she felt completely at ease around this strange young woman. "Serena Tsukino."

"A pleasure." Feryal gave a wry grin and then added; "I thought it'd be a good idea to escort you to your Prince Charming over here; he looked really worried while all that fuss was going on." Then she turned to look at the corner as they approached and Seiya came out to meet them, rubbing the back of his head guiltily.

"You knew I was there?" how could she have known he was hiding there; she'd been further round than Darien and Serena and he'd had to lean out a little more to see _her_.

"The whole time." She nodded cheerfully. Then she turned back to Serena. "I've gotta get going; my friend's picking me up and driving me back to the apartment." She turned to head down another corridor and winked, "I'll see you around sometime?"

Serena smiled widely and nodded. "Thanks again, seeing him speechless was priceless." She giggled.

Feryal laughed and nodded. "Any time Princess." A piano symphony made itself heard and she took a mobile phone from her shoulder bag and flipped it open. "Hello? Lumina! I . . . where are you? Ah, ok. On my way." She hung up and grinned. "I swear that girl's one of the most abrupt people I know. I'll see you guys around ok?" she called as she ran down the hall.

Serena watched her go; Seiya did to, with an unreadable expression on his face. The way she had said _Princess _. . .

"I'm sorry I didn't come to your rescue, Odango." He said at last, looking at her with unreadable eyes.

Serena looked up at him, her own crystal blue eyes soft and warm, forgiving. "No, it's fine. I know you would have stepped in if things had gotten any worse." She looked back to where Feryal had turned a corner out of sight and chewed on her lip pensively. Seiya noticed the direction of her stare and followed it.

"She shouldn't have been able to know I was there." He said quietly. "She was at the wrong angle to the corner to be able to see me even when I leaned out to look."

Serena nodded. "Maybe, but she could be like Rei and have special abilities." She turned to Seiya and her eyes showed no suspicion. "I felt something when she touched me, a spark of some sort, but I don't think she's a danger. I feel as though I know her somehow."

Seiya shrugged, his mysterious moment forgotten. "How about I take you to the campus restaurant for a snack and then drive you to meet the girls?"

Serena nodded and smiled a warm smile.

Ever since she had told him everything Darien had done Seiya had done nothing but be there for her. He was her light that day and since; ensuring that she stayed on the road to recovery. If she wanted to talk or forget about the world and her problems he was there, right beside her or just a phone call away.

Blaze, Taiki and Yaten were the same. Blaze would arrange for girly outings for her, Amy and Mina, even Rei and Lita would be asked to tag along. The five girls were united in their goal of helping her get past her heartache. Yaten would randomly turn up to ask about a Photography assignment and they'd work together; he'd even agreed to model for her sometimes so long as she returned the favour. Taiki was always on hand to help with whatever he could, and would always listen to her when she wanted to talk; he'd only modelled once, and when he asked the title of the photo she'd handed in he'd been surprised, but not too surprised at the same time.

She had a copy of it in her scrapbook; all her photographs were in her scrapbook. He was standing at the edge of a cliff with the wind lifting strands of his long auburn hair and moving the edges of his jacket that he had slung over his shoulder. One hand was in his trouser pocket while the other reached over his shoulder to grip the jacket collar, and he was staring out to sea, his expression almost unreadable. _The Lonely Heart_, she'd called it.

There was one of Yaten leaning back against a wall glaring at a random guy that was flirting with Mina. It hadn't been the intended shot; the guy had just walked up to her friend and started chatting with her. Mina being Mina she had flirted back. The photo was taken as she was tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. By this time Yaten had been giving a one-eyed glare at the man, but neither the stranger nor Mina had noticed. For some strange reason that she could never recall she had titled the shot _Tough Love_.

As she walked with Seiya to the car she cast her mind back to the conversation with Blaze and Taiki in the library. Her memories of the Trinity Alliance had been trickling back slowly, but she still couldn't remember much about it.

'_I wonder if I'd be able to contact this Thuraya somehow?'_ she thought to herself as they drove to where the girls had agreed to meet up. _'I wonder if Pluto knows about her? And what about Feryal? She seemed so familiar, like I had seen her before but forgotten.'_

She made a mental note to ask and then lost herself in Seiya's charming smile.

'_I should do something for Yaten and Taiki, but what?'_ another thought came unbidden into her mind and she smiled slightly at the idea. _'I couldn't, could i? That's usually Mina's job . . . but maybe . . .'_

"Ne, Seiya?" the midnight eyes flashed in her direction briefly before returning to the road ahead. "I want to run an idea by you, see what you think."

"Go ahead Odango."

By the end of the car ride they were both smirking.


	11. Chapter 11

**Well, here we are at last! Sorry about the last few updates being really slow in coming. I thank my proboard pals, my other readers, my constant and absolutely darling reviewer StrataLight (hugs and kisses to ya!), and my boyfriend for putting up with me during this. I know i've said it before but this time I mean it; things are finally starting to heat up around here. **

**As for the questions about Queen Selenity of the White Moon, ;) secret for now. Sorry. I'm trying to involve Lita and Rei more now so their characters should soon be developing for ya nicely. And don't those Ocs say some weird little things? Slips of their tongues you might say ;)**

**Anyway, enough of the aimless blabbing, time to get on with the show! STAGE ON!**

**

* * *

**

"You want to do what?" Rei blinked.

Serena and Seiya were sitting with her and Lita on the top of the shrine steps. Lita was looking just as shocked at being asked to join in on this little venture.

Serena nodded. "Taiki and Yaten have been such a help to me, as has Seiya. I want to do something for them, to thank them." She looked at a cherry blossom tree nearby and smiled. "I know where Taiki's heart lies, at least. I want to help him achieve his desire."

"And Yaten too?" Lita asked. When Serena and Seiya both nodded she blew her bangs from her eyes. "It'll be difficult; Amy and Taiki are not idiots, they're the smartest people we know."

"And Mina is the self-proclaimed Goddess of Love." Added Rei quietly.

"I know that." Serena waved it off. "But she's blind to herself. So, will you guys help?"

The Senshi of Fire and Passion and the Senshi of Thunder and Strength were silent. The other two waited with held breath. They could do it alone, but it would be far easier if they had help. Blaze already knew and had agreed to help; Seiya suspected that being around the Moon Princess brought out a mischievous side to the Fireball Princess that few ever saw.

Something told him that if the third member entered the picture – Taiki had told him about the conversation in the library, a few days ago now – then this impish side would grow even more.

Finally, after taking a deep breath, Rei spoke. "It won't be easy, but there is a particular tree within the boundary of the shrine that is said to bring fortune and ever-lasting love if a couple were to confess beneath its boughs. It seems like a fitting setting for Amy and Taiki to tell each other how they feel."

Serena clapped her hands and squealed with delight, throwing her arms around the miko's neck. Rei laughed it off and grinned, enjoying her Princess's delight.

"And I dare-say I could whip up a special something for Mina and Yaten; they both like to be pampered. Maybe I could research and create a wishing cake for them. My cooking mentor mentioned them once. I expect he wouldn't mind telling me about them. They're an old English tradition since ancient times."

Seiya winked his thanks and she smiled warmly in return. Serena threw one arm around Lita so that she sat between the two more hot-tempered of her Inner court, grinning like an idiot.

"Guys this will be so awesome! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

The other three laughed at the blonde's antics. All three were just happy to see her smiling again.

But Seiya's eyes were almost entirely untouched by his smile; he had yet to tell his Odango about the events on Kinmoku, and he was dreading it. He wondered when he should tell her. He knew it should be sooner rather than later, but he didn't want to take away her happiness.

He would tell her soon. For now he just wanted to bask in the warm glow of her light for a little longer.

* * *

Sailor Pluto stood before the Chronus Gates, Garnet Staff in hand, straight-backed and proud, watching the ebb and flow of Time around her.

'_Am I doing the right thing?'_ she thought to herself quietly. Then she turned her face to the swirling sky above her Realm. _'Yes, it has to be the correct course. Nothing must be allowed to interfere with Time.'_

"But I wish there was another way." She murmured.

"Why Pluto, are you questioning yourself?"

The voice was even in tone, neutral. It was polite, but there was the sense of an iron will behind it.

Pluto was instantly on alert. "Who is there? This Realm is forbidden to an outsider!"

A chuckle. "Pluto, Pluto, can old friends not visit each other?"

Pluto narrowed her eyes, but they widened in shock as the figure stepped into view.

The girl that stepped from the shrouding mists appeared in her early twenties, but Pluto knew it to be appearance only; this girl was as old as she and so were her comrades.

Her long calf-length violet hair swayed with her movements, her amber eyes sharp and focused as ever, like a hawk's, like golden Tiger's Eye. Her Senshi uniform was different and yet very similar to the one worn by Pluto and the Sol Senshi; the bodice was utterly sleeveless, attached only to the skirt and to her sailor collar, with a large golden oval jewel at the point where the collar met the bodice, where the bow was placed on Pluto's fuku.

The bodice, collar and most of the skirt was a deep blue-green, metallic, shimmering, two-toned. A stripe at the base of the skirt, the band connecting skirt to bodice, a strip at the top of the bodice were a contrasting hue of magenta, and her choker was blue-green, from which hung a symbol in shimmering gold, the same symbol upon her forehead in place of tiara was in the same green-blue of her outfit but glowed magenta. The bow at the back of the skirt was the same warm pink.

The boots were mid calf-high and shimmering the same as the skirt, with a magenta stripe going up along the outside of each boot. On each wrist was a wide gold band reaching halfway to her elbow, studded with magenta jewels and gripping pale magenta sheer gloves in place. Slimmer golden bands encircled her upper arms, and from her ears hung golden diamonds from a gold stud, each diamond shape encircled by a ring crossing horizontally across them.

The Senshi stopped a few feet from Pluto and stood with a hand on her hip, standing on her hip the way most girls can instinctively stand. She had a small, almost hidden smile on her face, but the eyes remained distant.

"Sailor Asrar." Pluto whispered. She looked very much as though she had just seen a ghost; Pluto had not seen this Senshi in a thousand years. "Why are you . . ."

"Our leader has sensed a strange force at work recently. She has sent me to ask if you know anything about it." Asrar paused, looking Pluto in the eye critically, calculatingly. "You wouldn't know anything about it, would you?"

Pluto shook her head, saying nothing about the accusing tone that was used. "I have spent much more time on Earth lately than I have here." She admitted. "But my senses have remained open. I have not felt these vibrations."

Asrar nodded. "Of course, I was merely checking." Asrar went quiet, thinking.

"If you don't mind my asking," Pluto began quietly, "I thought you had died with the Siriun Constellation, with the others."

Asrar looked at her, her amber eyes appeared misty with the memories. "We nearly did." She said quietly. "We were overwhelmed from the start. Celestia managed to shroud us both in her solar winds. Knight Tiranus and Saviour were both within the Realm and so were protected. When the shielding winds dissipated we were in the middle of a desolate kingdom. Sirius was almost completely destroyed. Our own worlds also, but they had not been targeted nearly as much as the central Kingdom." Asrar looked to the side and into the distance.

"So few survivors . . ." she whispered, almost to herself, before she snapped out of her reverie and looked at Pluto again, amber meeting garnet with a bold, intense stare. "Fear not, Sailor Pluto. Sailor Celestia and Sailor Etherea are safe and well. The Siriun Constellation is returning to its strength."

Pluto nodded, relieved, and made to turn away but stopped when she realised Asrar wasn't leaving.

"You are certain you know nothing at all Pluto? These vibrations trouble our leader. Someone is interfering with Time and Fate where guidance is not needed. Are you sure there is nothing you wish to tell us now"

Pluto shook her head. "Nothing."

Asrar lowered her head. "Very well, then I shall take my leave." She turned and melted into the mists, fading away to nothing.

Pluto sighed in relief. Sailor Asrar had always been a rather intense young woman who missed nothing.

She turned to the gateway behind her, thoughts of her second master fresh on her mind.

* * *

Serena was standing behind the counter at work again. Amy and Lita were sat in their usual table near the window doing their homework and sipping coffee. Lita was sampling the latest cake baked by the café's chef, who was a student in Lita's cookery class at college; a double fudge with strawberries and cherries.

The bell chimed its welcome and Rei walked in with Mina and Hotaru.

"Serena!" Rei grinned and waved. She skipped up to the counter and leant across as though examining the cake stand behind the blonde. "All set at the shrine." She winked as she whispered. Serena nodded her acknowledgement just as Seiya walked in with Blaze. The red-head was talking to somebody standing behind the big poster on the window.

"Odango!" Seiya laughed. "How's work?"

"Fine. Can I get you guys anything at all?" she asked with a big smile.

"No, just two coffees and a green tea please." Said Taiki politely. "One coffee with vanilla syrup." he added when Yaten coughed pointedly.

"Coming up." Serena practically sang.

"Blaze hurry up and get in here! Serena's getting your favourite thing in the whole world and you haven't even ordered it yet." Rei laughed. Since their first meeting in the café, the visiting Princess made a habit of coming in on Serena's shift and always ordered the same thing.

Yaten claimed she was addicted to the cake. Blaze would laugh it off but never deny it, and had even found a recipe online and had attempted to make her own, with slightly disastrous results.

Lita had promised her cooking lessons so long as she didn't try to cook again beforehand.

Blaze walked in just as Taiki was carrying the tray over to the table next to Ami and Lita's. She was laughing with somebody who was following her in.

"Serena, how are things today?" she asked cheerfully.

"Things are fine. Taiki took your order to the table already." the blonde laughed in reply.

"Would it be alright to order a second round of what I had? For my friend, of course." Blaze asked politely, moving aside and gesturing to the young woman standing behind her.

Feryal smiled at Serena and winked. "Good morning Serena Tsukino." she said.

"Feryal!" Serena was surprised. "K- . . . Blaze, how do you . . ."

The Fireball Princess laughed."Feryal Makana is an old friend of mine." here she winked, and those words coupled with the action made Serena understand straight away. "I ran into her yesterday evening in the park and she agreed to come here with me today."

"I gotta admit, I'd have never looked at this place twice before, but it's so cute inside I can see why you work here." Feryal winked again. "And Blaze says you have the best cake around."

"Of course." Serena's smile practically glowed. "Go sit over there I'll bring it straight over." Blaze and Feryal obliged and within a minute Serena had brought over a tray with a green tea, a coffee and another slice of cake and sat opposite Feryal and beside Blaze.

"How are you, really, Princess Serenity." Feryal asked as soon as Serena was settled. She was looking at Serena over her hands, which she had clasped under her chin, and now that she was looking properly Serena could see that her eyes were a rich earthy brown with just the hint of gold.

The use of her ancient title made Serena pause. "How do you know that?" she asked quietly.

Feryal smiled. "I know many things." she teased, her face completely serious and contradicting her eyes, which glimmered with mischief. When Blaze rolled her eyes Feryal's smile grew. "I am an old friend. I serve my own master, High Princess Thuraya, as your senshi serve you. Or rather, Empress Thuraya as she is now known; she was crowned a few months ago." Feryal sipped her coffee and now looked completely serious. "Not many outside our own system know this you understand; she wishes for most of the rest of the systems not to know of her return. She is still recovering from certain . . . events, shall we say?"

Serena nodded. "You have my word. But . . . you're a senshi too?"

"Feryal is my civilian name, as Serena is yours. You may call me Feryal, or you may call me Amorina, which is my royal name, or Sailor Celestia if you choose. So long as none of your senshi know who I am. My master is concerned for you, she has felt something which troubles her greatly and she is not sure what is causing it." the girl paused, a frown making its appearance on her face, but it soon dispersed it a soft smile again. "She sends her greetings and wishes of health to the Moon Princess Serenity, and two of her senshi to watch over you in these troubling times when and if your own cannot."

Serena looked at Blaze worryingly. "But, doesn't she need you more than me?" Though the question was directed to Feryal, her worry was aimed for Blaze to see, and Blaze answered her thus.

The other girl shook her head. "There are two others to look after her, Saviour and Knight Tiranus, and besides, Thuraya's more than capable of looking after herself. This is the princess who used to sneak away from her etiquette lessons in order to watch the soldiers of her mother's army train and tried to mimic them." Feryal laughed at Blaze's words and Serena just had to smile at the image of a small princess hiding behind the stable door. "She's the leader of her mother's Army, now her army, and they call her the Lady General."

Feryal looked at Blaze a little oddly now. "But still, you did not tell me that you knew the Princes of the Galaxy Cauldron." she scolded lightly.

"Eh?" Serena was drawing a total blank, which caused Blaze to scowl at Feryal.

"I did not realise that they were the same. I can't remember much from that lifetime." she sipped her own coffee. "How is Saviour?"

"Good." when Feryal realised that Serena was still staring at them blankly she laughed. "Sorry Princess, don't worry about it. Ignore what I said OK." she picked a walnut off the top of the cake and nibbled it. "But still, I wonder why Thuraya never told me." she muttered.

Serena mulled the words over before an idea struck her. Several, actually. "Ne, Feryal?" said girl looked up from toying with the cake. "Could you pass on a message to Thuraya for me?" Feryal mulled over the request for several minutes by picking the cake apart some more. Finally she nodded. "Could you just send her a hello for me, ask how she is? I remember some of it but . . ." the Moon Princess racked her brains, but much was still shrouded in grey.

When she looked up her eyes met warm honey brown orbs. "Of course, Princess. Your message shall take priority and I shall send it tonight when I make my report." Feryal fidgeted. "She still doesn't know we made contact with you, but I know she will be happy to hear from you."

"We?" Blaze and Serena asked at the same time.

"Myself and Asrar." Feryal enlightened them, she was staring at the street outside. "Hey, isn't that the Terran I shocked into silence yesterday?"

Blaze and Serena both whipped their heads round to look. Feryal was right; Darien was standing on the opposite side of the road watching. Seiya and the others appeared to have noticed him at about the same moment for Seiya, Yaten and Taiki all became very intimidating to look at all of a sudden and glared at him. Ami and Mina had placed a hand each on Lita's arms as said girl had begun to rise from her chair. Hotaru's pretty face was neutral, as usual.

"That _is_ Endymion, am I right?" Feryal asked again, looking to Blaze and Serena for confirmation. Serena nodded. Feryal sighed and stood up, but Serena caught her wrist as she went to go outside.

"Please don't, I don't want anybody to get hurt because of me."

Feryal looked at the StarLights, who nodded and sat back down, before kneeling in front of Serena and peering into the blue eyes. "Princess," she whispered, "What has happened?"

Serena's heartbroken expression was the only explanation Feryal needed. Her honey-brown eyes narrowed and darkened a little. She stood, gently pried Serena's fingers from her wrist and moved to the door. Yaten reached it just as she did. They took less than a minute to size each other up – friend or foe? - before both nodded and they moved outside together.

Darien scowled darkly when he saw that neither of those coming to meet him were Serena. "What do you want?" he asked Yaten while eyeing Feryal up and down. Like the day before, he was getting an unusual vibe from her that he didn't trust.

"We could ask you the same thing." Yaten replied, looking up at him with fierce lime-green eyes. Feryal said nothing, only standing with hand on hip a little behind the smallest StarLight and her eyes boring into his. Yaten had his arms crossed and looked less than friendly too.

"That is none of your business." said Darien curtly.

"It is when you wish harm to Serena." Feryal retorted, "And to Seiya."

Yaten shot her a glance; he recognised her, wondered why she was here, but thought little of it for now.

Darien's mouth curled up in a smirk. "And what makes you think it has anything to do with you, little girl?"

Yaten winced; he himself hated being called short by anybody, even his own Princess! He had a feeling that with the blonde the words would have the same effect.

They did.

"Who are you to call me _little_?" she shouted. "You are a a total jerk who doesn't know what he's got until it's gone, and then wants it back even though he can _never_ have it!"

For the second time in as many days, Darien Shields stared at her in open-mouthed shock as she continued, brushing past Yaten to stand firm in front of the Terran Prince.

"I knew as soon as I saw you that you were no good. That's why I got her away from you! I only wish I'd been able to do as much the last time!" say _what_? What _last time_? She poked him in the chest and he took a step back. "Listen my friend because it's the very last time I'll say this to your face before my fist meets your nose! Keep. Away. From. Her. Or."

"You'll what?" Darien's voice, now that he'd recovered it, was mocking as he looked her up and down.

"Or _we'll_ make you stay away from her." Yaten finished, standing beside her.

Darien looked over them to the windows of the café, his gaze finding Serena's and ignoring the others staring at him. Serena's eyes were wide with an emotion that was driving Yaten's empathic abilities crazy and raising his anger levels. Mina had moved to stand beside her and Lita was now stood next to Seiya and Taiki, cracking her knuckles threateningly.

"It's not over." Darien said, turning his eyes back to Yaten's hostile expression.

The silvery StarLight snorted. "We'll see about that."

Darien said nothing, only turned and walked away. Feryal and Yaten stayed right where they were until they saw him turn the corner and then waited for several more heartbeats. When it became clear that he wasn't coming back the two allies sighed and looked at each other wearily before going inside.

Yaten, following Feryal, had barely stepped inside when Mina dragged him into a tight embrace.

"Yaten! That was so brave of you to do that for us. I can't thank you enough." she released him, cheeks barely blushing and her blue eyes shining. "Oh my god the look on his face was a picture! I wish I'd had a camera. That was amazing."

Said young man blushed faintly at the praise. "Was nothing." he mumbled. He heard Seiya snicker behind him and shot a glare in what he hoped was the right direction, but he wasn't sure since Mina had already grabbed his wrist and dragged him away towards the counter shouting "Celebratory milkshakes for everyone!"

Serena, after giving Feryal a hug of thanks, followed to make said milkshakes, rolling her eyes the entire way and pointing out that maybe Yaten would like his arm to be in one piece. Mina paid no heed, and Yaten secretly didn't mind; Mina could drag him all over the Earth and he'd let her. That much he'd learnt during the time he had been apart from her.

Feryal sighed, smiling gently at the scene unfolding before her. Blaze – the Fireball Princess had already filled her in on her identity – caught her eye and smiled, inclining her head in gratitude. Feryal waved it away gently, her eyes saying _it was nothing, just doing what I was told_, but she knew that Blaze would believe otherwise. Feryal had often been as protective of the other two daughters of the Trinity Alliance as she had been of her own master.

When she turned she caught the eyes of the other Inner Senshi.

Rei's dark eyes were slightly narrowed, dark purple storm clouds in her pale face. There was no hostility, only suspicion. She felt as though she should recognise Feryal, but from where or, indeed _when_, she couldn't guess. She had the inexplicable urge to trust the stranger almost completely, the way she trusted Lita and Amy and Mina. It made her wary.

Lita's eyes showed the spark of vaguest recognition as well, but whereas Rei's held suspicion her own held only confusion. She too felt the strange connection, maybe not so strongly as with the other senshi of her team but something very similar if only slightly weaker. She instinctively knew that Feryal would give her life for Serena in the same way that she and the others would. And not just for Serena but for Kakyuu, and the StarLights as well.

Amy observed every small trace of body language, expression, anything to tell her more about Feryal. Serena and Blaze both trusted this girl and so would she, but she couldn't figure out why for the life of her. She was so used to having all the facts lying before her like a puzzle, or if not then being able to find them all or already having enough to reach the correct conclusion, that it disconcerted her that she couldn't figure things out.

Mina had felt all these, but she put her trust in her Princess and in Blaze. She knew she would be told in due time and so felt free to focus on other things, like dragging Yaten everywhere by the elbow for example and chat to her best friend.

Seiya inclined his head to Feryal in thanks, as did Taiki. They recognised her now; a soldier who was a whirlwind of curiosity but had a strange melded core of sombreness, independence and fierce loyalty. They knew her Senshi title, recognised her power, and respected her. Yaten, when Mina had turned her gabbing from him to Serena, winked at her to show he knew as well.

Feryal couldn't help the smile now, a tiny quirk of one corner of her lips that showed more in the warm depths of her eyes. She knew that she had been accepted into the strange little family that these people had formed. It had only happened once before, and it meant more to her than anybody could know.

* * *

Lumina raised an eyebrow at Feryal as the smaller girl entered their apartment – ironically the very same one that Alan and Ann had occupied during their stay on Earth.

"Have a nice day?" Lumina asked, her voice still distant.

Feryal looked at her with slightly puzzled brown eyes for a few seconds. When she finally remembered why she'd only just walked in she smiled. It surprised Lumina, for the smile was warmer than it had been since the girl had left her Master's side.

"Yes, I was with the Sol Senshi, the Starlight Senshi, Princess Serenity and Princess Kakyuu." she explained. Then her brown eyes darkened slightly. "We may have a problem with the Terran Prince."

Lumina raised the eyebrow she had only just dropped. "Endymion?" she breathed. "Why would he cause trouble to the Moon Princess?"

The blonde made a strange noise somewhere between a bitter laugh and a hiccough. "Why else would a guy throw his dummy out the crib? Because he wants what he can't have." she sat opposite Lumina on a chair she dragged away from the table and sighed, rubbing the back of her head with one hand. "I had to fend him off with Star-Healer." she let out a small laugh. "Gods that Senshi can be intimidating despite the fact that she's tiny."

Lumina decided not to point out that Star-Healer was probably only an inch or so shorter than Feryal.

Finally, after about five minutes of weary silence, Feryal sighed and stood. "I'm going to make my report to Thuraya and check up on our guest. Besides, I have a message to pass on." Feryal made towards the door which held the two-way mirror and paused, looking back. "Your day was ok?"

Lumina nodded distractedly and made a small dismissive gesture with her fingers. "Don't worry about dinner; I've got it sorted."

Feryal nodded, offered the older woman a small but warm smile and left to do as she had said. Lumina sat there for several minutes longer, listening to the hum of Feryal's voice through the walls before she picked up the telephone and ordered take-out from a sushi place she had found the other day. Then she sat back down in the same place as before, still thinking.

Thuraya had been right; Pluto's judgement was clearly clouded, and it must be Endymion that was the cause of that. Even she had felt the vibrations, only a minor disturbance for the time being, while she had stood before the Time Guardian in her realm.

And Pluto had _lied_ to her.

Lumina had known from the start; her golden eyes never missed it when she was being lied to. As much as she didn't want to believe it, it was the truth. And now she and Feryal would have to clear up the mess, hopefully without getting their Master involved.

She fingered the earring that hung from her right ear thoughtfully; it was a small glowing oval of a much darker purple than her hair, made of a crystal that couldn't be found on Earth or indeed in this System. Feryal wore a similar item attached to a slim chain about her neck, Thuraya her ring.

When the delivery man arrived with the miso soup, tempura soba and sushi she had ordered she paid him and thanked him before closing the door. Feryal came out again just as she was taking the miso through to their guest.

**(A.N: Tempura Soba, for those who have no clue what it is, is deep fried shrimp with brown rice noodles in a lovely tangy broth with seaweed and vegetables. It's my favourite Japanese soup-type-thing and I always order it when I go to the Japanese restaurant in town. Miso soup is like a tofu and seaweed soup-type-thing. And there are loads of types of sushi. I recommend going to a proper restaurant rather than buying the mass-produced stuff from the shops; if any of you've ever tasted the difference between them you'll know what I mean. **

**The Wish Cake is a true tradition, and if anybody's interested tell me and i'll give the general idea in the next chapter, cuz I can't find my book right now that has it in. Gomen ne!)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Ok, finally, here we go. I am so sorry about how late it is, i thought now that summer was here i'd be quicker at uploading but it seems the exact opposite! I knew what i wanted but it was just getting there that was so difficult. Again, sorry, i will try to be quicker next time and . . . yeah. And yes, i know it's short!  
**

**Thanks to all of you who reviewed; you guys are really helping to keep me sane right now. Lots of upset on my end of things at present and it's kinda crazy. It's nice to hear how much you're enjoying it and everything.**

**And so, without further ado, i give to you my gift of the 12th chapter of Ethereal Destiny. I'm tired now. Goodnight ~Eb~  
**

* * *

Seiya sat on his balcony again, but this time he had his guitar in hand. He was gently strumming the chords and humming a wordless song in time with the music he was creating. The dark-haired young man had many things on his mind, not the least of them Serena.

She had been a lot better lately, her smiles more genuine. At least the ones he had seen had been so. It made him happy to see her smile again, and her latest scheme, in which he had a part to play, seemed to be helping her heal as much as he was. That plan would be acted out tomorrow.

And that thought led on to his brothers. Serena's plan to play matchmaker and put them with two of her senshi was risky; the Outer Senshi wouldn't like it one bit. She risked the wrath of not only Amara, but also of Trista and possibly of Michelle and Hotaru too. Any such warning was met with the same response; "I am their princess and their leader. They may think they are protecting me, but in some ways it will do more harm than good. It's about time they began to see that. Besides, it is my job to create alliances, not theirs. What better way to create an alliance than through love?"

Just picturing the way she had looked when she said that made him smile.

Which led his thoughts now to Kakyuu. On some level he felt he was betraying her, that as her senshi his place was by her side alone. But even she seemed to be encouraging him to spend time with the Moon Princess, which he couldn't quite figure out. And she seemed so close to Serena, they were like sisters. It made him think that he was missing something.

This in turn led his thoughts to the newcomer in their midst; Feryal Makana. He knew her; she was Sailor Celestia, one of the guards of the Siriun Empress Thuraya. He knew this and he recognised her. But why was she here? Both times so far she had turned up when Darien was near Serena, when he was being manipulative. What was her purpose on this world? And if she were here, then were her comrade and her queen here too?

Seiya shook his head. Too many maybes. Too many ifs. Too many mysteries. This was as bad as when they were fighting Chaos and Galaxia; things had been just as confusing then too.

* * *

Taiki looked a little bewildered as Seiya led him up the steps to the Hikawa Shrine. The shorter young man had said only that it was important that he follow, and that was why Seiya practically dragged him by the wrist now as they climbed the stair.

"Seiya, surely this can wait?" he said, wishing he had never agreed to this.

Seiya, of course, wouldn't hear it. "No, it can't. I told you it's important. More important than . . . than astronomy homework. More important than our _careers_!"

This announcement caused a raised eyebrow. The only other time he could recall at the moment of Seiya saying that something was more important than music was concerning their Princess. And later, of course, Serena Tsukino. The thought almost made the brown-haired Starlight smile.

Finally they reach the top of the steps and Taiki yanked his sleeve from Seiya's grasp as the Starlight leader was catching his breath.

"I can walk, you know. I am not a rag doll." Taiki snapped half-heartedly.

Seiya looked at him, the expression in his dark indigo eyes unreadable for the most part. Taiki suspected that they contained an element of mischief. He suddenly had a slightly bad feeling about this whole venture.

"Sorry, Taiki, I know you can, it's just that this is so important that . . ." Seiya trailed off, his eyes looking at Taiki but not seeing him. He knew it was an act. Honestly, sometimes Taiki didn't know who was the bigger drama queen; Seiya or Yaten.

With a sigh, Taiki said what he thought he was going to regret. "Alright, if it's that important to you I suppose I'll do this."

Seiya broke out into a grin. "I knew you'd agree Taiki." he gave a thumbs up and then looked around before pointing him in the right direction. "Just head over there and wait under the cherry tree. You can't miss it; it's the big ancient-looking one with the red ribbon tied around the trunk and ribbons tied to the branches."

"Wait a minute!" Taiki called after him, suddenly wondering if he should have agreed at all when Seiya began to head for the Shrine rather than the meeting place he had just described.

"No worries, I'll be there in a minute! I've jut got some business to take care of first."

"What business?"

Seiya gave him a scandalised look. "Taiki, who are you? My mother? I didn't think you'd want to know. But if you must know I'm going to the-"

"Forget it! I don't want to know." Taiki waved him off with a sigh and headed over to the tree. Because of this manoeuvre he didn't notice the pleased smirk that graced Seiya's face.

Taiki was so busy trying to puzzle out Seiya's actions that he didn't notice the person sitting on the stone bench beneath the ancient cherry blossom until he was only a foot away from her.

"Oh, Amy I'm . . . please forgive me I wasn't paying attention."

The bluenette merely smiled at him sweetly as always. "It's no problem, really, I was just waiting for Serena to get back." her sapphire eyes turned from his face to the blossoms above them. "What brings you here Taiki?"

"Actually, Seiya said he had something important that he had to show me, but he's disappeared for some reason. He told me to wait for him here." and now Taiki was beginning to get more suspicious of his leader's innocence. "But I'll leave now and leave you some peace."

"No," Amy's voice appeared light but he detected a certain strain beneath the casual tone, "no, it's quite alright, and if Seiya told you to wait here for him then wouldn't it be better to stay?" she smiled at him again. "Besides, I'd like the company; Serena's been gone for five minutes now."

Taiki said nothing, though by now he had a feeling that their leaders' disappearance wasn't coincidence. He sat beside her and they spent a minute or two watching the clouds and the trees.

Occasionally he stole a sly glance at her. Amy had tilted her head to the sky and closed her eyes, a small and peaceful smile gracing her lips. Today she wore a pair of light blue jeans with a t-shirt as light a colour as the blossoms above them. A pink that was only a few shades darker than the lip gloss she wore . . .

Taiki very nearly hit himself. She had never shown any interest in him, at least . . . none that he'd been aware of. He stole another look from the corner of his eye, noticing how in the dappled light filtering through the branches her lips seemed to shimmer and -

_'Bad Taiki! No more thinking of that!'_ He pinched himself on his thigh and winced from the pain. It didn't help that, his original form being that of a woman's, he knew about things like make-up and how to enhance one's appearance with that and the right clothes, among . . . _other_ things.

Grudgingly, he admitted that Seiya and Yaten had been right about one thing at least; it really _was_ the quiet ones you had to watch out for!

"So why did you return?"

Her voice startled him from his thoughts and he turned to look at her again. She wasn't watching him, instead she was staring at the sky, but he had the feeling that she was paying very close attention to him all the same.

Just like he was becoming more and more certain that Seiya had some plan up his sleeve, even if he couldn't figure out quite what it was.

"To help Seiya." he replied simply, following her gaze. "He was becoming depressed on Kinmoku," had she noticed the slight hesitation over that word? "We decided that we'd bring him back here and allow your Princess to heal him. So far it is working. He's still down, but he's nowhere near as bad as he was."

"And how bad was he?" Amy asked quietly. She hid the disappointment that she felt at his words. A part of her, that more childish part that drew to fantasy like moth to flame, had hoped that he had returned for her. But of course, Mina had told her that Seiya had been very ill and that they had brought him back to heal. Even with that knowledge she had chosen to hope for the fantasy, something that she rarely did. And as the more logical and clinical part of her had predicted, she had fallen.

Taiki's only response was a quiet "Only he could tell you."

This puzzled her, but some part of her was aggravated by his ambiguity. "So that's all you came back for?" she asked, hoping her tone was light, "For a vacation?"

As soon as the words had left her mouth she cringed. Anybody could tell from those words what she had hoped, and Taiki was a certified genius. She sounded like a desperate teenage girl and she hated it. Her eyes dropped from sky to ground as she silently chastised herself for her stupidity.

The young man, on the other hand, was watching her with something akin to shock.

But she took his silence for something else.

"I am sorry to have bothered you." she got up, eyes closed, and made a small bow to him. "I shall leave now, I have to find out what has happened to my Princess."

And that was it. She was the Senshi of Mercury again; all business and duty and none of the heart she had gained in this life.

She got a mere step away when she heard his soft-spoken voice call her name and she froze.

"Do you want the other half of the truth?" he asked. He hadn't moved from his seat on the bench, and she didn't think she'd be unfrozen from her spot for a while.

After a long pause, she drew both feet together. Not daring to look at him, staring at the ground, she swallowed and nodded.

Taiki observed this with mixed emotions. He had obviously upset her in some way and this hurt him, as did her assumption that he felt nothing for her, as though she didn't think him capable of it. He was also amused to see her struck speechless. At the same time he couldn't help but think that she simply looked so cute standing there like that.

Slowly and with a sigh – not to mention a mental punch for his thoughts – he stood up from his seat and tucked his hands securely in his pockets. He picked something in the scenery – a statue of some kind – and stared at it with a soft intensity as he prepared himself for something that, a few years ago at least, he would never have thought he would do. Ever.

"We returned to help Seiya, our comrade and sis . . . brother," he smiled a little over the mistake, "And because we found that, after a while, we had begun to miss the Earth. Kakyuu-hime also wished to return here, after all she hadn't seen much of it last time. At first we, that is myself and Yaten, had no wish to return, for we had finally managed to close old wounds and did not want to reopen them so suddenly. But then Seiya got worse."

He was aware that his tone had changed in some way, become gentler and softer, more tender, regretful.

"We decided that if we did not return soon then things would go drastically wrong. I believe Mina will have told you something of the matter." He turned to watch her briefly, and when she nodded he continued.

"At first, we thought we could handle it, I thought I could handle it. And with Seiya suddenly happy again I didn't want to complain. But the wound opened again. Kakyuu could feel the pain we felt, and she decided to do something about it."

Taiki gave a small laugh, but neither he nor Amy – not even the eavesdroppers the pair hadn't noticed yet – could tell whether there was humour in it or not.

Amy was watching him, seemingly transfixed by his words. There was some quality to his words and to his voice that compelled her to stay and listen. She resisted the urge to step nearer and comfort him in some way. But she wasn't sure what else to do. It was an unusual situation for her. So instead she listened to his words.

"It's funny, really. I think she knew from the beginning why we threw ourselves into the work on Kinmoku. Why Seiya stayed out from dawn to dusk and sometimes even longer, why Yaten was either more irritable or more quiet, why I was melancholy even by my own standards." a humourless smile made it's way to his lips. "She knows the choice that we will face in time. She faced a similar choice when she allowed us to return. Keep us or lose us. Seems simple, doesn't it. But it's not, it's really not."

Amy realised that she had been holding her breath and she let it out slowly. "What do you mean?" she asked quietly. "You are her senshi; there is no way she could lose you except through death." a fact that she was personally acquainted with herself.

The tall man's head turned sideways to look over her shoulder. "She has told us things that indicate that she could lose us by allowing us to return to this planet, but at the same time she would gain something from the loss."

Sensing that this was all he would say on the matter – in fact he didn't know much more than that – she nodded for him to carry on, her big blue eyes sombre.

"I am sorry to burden you with all of this, Amy." he said, turning to her. He looked for all the world like a person who had lost the will to fight any more. "It was not my intention, and I am beginning to have some suspicions about why I was brought here, so if you would excuse me and forget what I said -"

"What wound?" she asked. At his blank stare she added; "Why do you feel wounded?"

Taiki opened and closed his mouth several times before he was coherent enough to reply. When he did his eyes took on that wounded tenderness from before. And suddenly he felt much braver. "Because I left something here when we departed and I have no wish of leaving without it, one way or another."

She was about to ask what when she thought she recognised the intensity of his stare. He had only given her that particular look once before.

When they had stood on the school rooftop and said goodbye.

Amy couldn't speak, and then Mina's words that morning over the phone sprung into her mind; _"You know, I feel as though this is going to be a very good day for you Amy. I think you're going to get something you've wanted for a long time. And you're going to love them."_

_Them._ Not it, but them. _Something you've wanted for a very long time . . ._

Her mind was a wild torrent of emotions and strangled bits of thought. She couldn't think straight, not while she was trapped by his gaze. It wasn't possible. She was aware of things; she was aware that he had moved closer, and that he was still gazing down at her with that violet-blue intensity, and that he was suddenly so terribly close, and that her face was flushing and she was frozen again.

"I should be going." he whispered. His voice was thick, as though he was fighting something back. The words didn't make sense to her startled mind until he began to move again. And suddenly her body moved of its own accord while her mind was still paralysed and trying to catch up.

Taiki stood shocked as he felt her kiss him suddenly. Now he was the one trying to make sense of things. He had been walking – yes, that was it, he had been leaving – and she had grabbed him, turned him and brought his head down to hers in one fluid movement and then . . . and then . . .

For someone who claimed to be lacking in experience in this department she was a pretty good kisser.

He felt rather than saw her eyes open, her long lashes brushing against his skin ever so lightly, and she uttered a little gasp and began to pull away as though realising what she had done and was embarrassed. In fact she probably was, but he didn't care. Instead he looped one arm around her slim waist and with his other hand he tilted her chin up so that he could kiss her back.

She melted into the embrace, and they only parted when they needed to breathe again.

Gently he rested his forehead against hers and took a deep breath. "So," he began quietly. He opened his eyes and was met with twin sapphires that were usually alert but right now were misty, "Do I get my heart back, or have you taken it forever?"

Her reply was another kiss.

* * *

Slinking away much quieter than anybody would have ever given them credit for, the eavesdroppers congratulated themselves on a mission well done.

Now if only the next would go as well.


	13. Chapter 13

**Right, 13th chapter for ya. I have to say, i didn't expect to have done so much for this story :D and i hope you're happy! I spent hours pouring through books on English folklore and cook books and checking actual bottles of wine and everything! Personally i'm still not happy with this but *shrugs* it'll have to do, so sorry if this doesn't seem up to standard for ya!**

**My thanks to all my reviewers and to those of ya reading and not reviewing, the crazy little family i belong to on the proboards and my boyfriend, wouldn't have gotten here without ya, so, without further ado i give you this humble little piece of what i naively call 'literature'.**

**STAGE ON! ~Eb~  
**

* * *

"Is it done yet?" she asked for the thousandth time.

Lita blew an irritating bang that was only slightly more annoying than the blonde out of her eye and growled low in her throat. "No, not yet, and if you ask me that again I'll blow this plan sky high."

"Ok." Serena said brightly. She returned to swinging her legs as she sat on the stainless steel table.

The tall brunette looked at her with a sort of surprised and suspicious expression in her eyes. Her princess was way too happy.

"Something good happen today?" she asked, leaning back against the stainless steel worktop where she had been working and crossing her arms over her breast. Her voice was as firm as her pose. _Answers Serena; __**now**__._

The Moon Princess giggled. "You'll have to wait to find out."

Lita blew another bang out of her eye in exasperation as well as irritation. Oh yes, something very good must have happened for her princess to be in such a child-like good mood. She had been chirpy ever since she had arrived. Lita only thanked whatever higher power was watching them that she and Serena were the only ones in the kitchen; many of the other staff members were on lunch, leaving the brunette to prep tonight's 'special dinner' with only the happy-go-lucky Moon Princess of the twentieth century for company.

The fact that she was so cheerful could only mean that the morning's plan had gone very well.

Lita didn't know whether to be impressed or scared that their princess, who they always viewed as well-meaning and adorable and all but still clumsy at times, had come up with what seemed to be such a brilliant plan. She decided that a healthy dose of scared wouldn't go amiss, seeing as she had managed to trick the two genius members of their bizarre little family.

Slowly she ran one finger down the list on the worktop. Flour, eggs, sugar, milk, silver coin, vanilla essence . . .

Yes, Lita Kino, self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, lover of all things domestic, renowned fighter (amongst her friends and universal evil), once and future Princess of Jupiter and Guard of Princess Serenity was making a wishing cake at said princess's request.

"How is this supposed to help them again?" she asked as she poured the mixture into a dish ready for the oven.

Serena let out another childish giggle. "We're setting them up on a blind date, and this shall be dessert." she raised a delicate finger in the air as she made the next point. "Whichever one shall get the coin will wish for love fulfilled and presto! Instant confession."

_'And I'll bet the wine won't hurt matters either.'_ Lita thought wryly as she glanced at the bottle. Blossom Hill White Zinfandel, one of Mina's favourite rosé wines. Though to be completely honest all the senshi liked this one.

Out loud she said, "I thought Mina was the Goddess of Love."

Yet another girly little giggle. "She is, but I am the Goddess of Moonlight, which speaks romance in itself, for there is nothing more romantic than a candlelit dinner under the bright silver moon."

Lita nearly choked on her own air. _'Oh brother.'_

* * *

Mina looked at herself in the mirror one last time. Make-up; flawless. Hair; perfect. Outfit; gorgeous. Now where did that clutch purse go?

She smiled when she spotted it lying on the floor by a chair and picked it up, looking herself over in the mirror again with a critical eye.

Mina's hair was in its usual style, but she had swapped the scarlet bow for a burnt orange hair tie with a large exotic-looking and glittery orange flower attached to it, and she had brushed out her long sun-gold hair until it shone and fell down her back to her knees in a light and soft cascade of blonde tresses. She was also wearing a choker of the same colour as the flower, from which hung a shell-shaped ornament of gold-coloured glass. Mina was dressed in a summer dress, bought on the same shopping spree that had produced Serena's white and cream outfit, and this one was made of a similar floaty material, satin skirt underneath a sheer top-layer of two-toned bronze-gold shimmer that also covered the bodice of the dress. Her clutch purse was made of metallic burnt orange silk with gold decoration, the shoes bronze in colour with a moderate heel and three straps around her ankles.

She had gone for more natural-looking make-up than she sometimes did; bronze eye shadow, neutral lipstick, a little gloss, some mascara and a dab of concealer here and there. Around her shoulders she now placed a filmy sheer wrap that she had made in one of her classes to go with this specific dress, attaching the two ends with the tiny golden clasp.

All in all, she looked good and she felt good.

With a small and blissful sigh she checked the small gold watch that Luna had bought her for her last birthday. Time to go.

She went down to the kitchen to tell her mother she was heading out when she spotted the note attached to the fridge;

_Sorry sweetheart, urgent business that I have to take care of. Don't wait up for me if I'm not back when you are ok. I'm sure you look absolutely divine. I want to hear all about it when I next see you. Have fun on your date! Love, mama x x x_

_P.S: your father said he'll call you tomorrow. Also, I'm leaving my car keys with you since yours is 'sick' as you put it. I trust you on this so please don't destroy my other baby._

Mina's face was completely neutral as she looked at her mother's hurried writing. This wasn't the first time this had happened, not by a long shot, and she didn't think that it would be the last. By now it barely bothered her; she just took it in her stride. She did smile a little though when she reached the post script at the bottom.

Her own car, for some reason she absolutely couldn't grasp, wouldn't go, and the engine made an odd noise that she definitely knew it shouldn't be making. Amara had said she would look at it this weekend. It was because of the noise, almost like a pathetic little cough, that Mina told whoever asked that the car was 'sick'.

She picked up the car keys from the kitchen counter, scrawled a similar note of thanks and will-do's for her mother if she came back first, and walked out.

Her mother's _other_ _baby_ was in fact a sleek black porsche that she had scrimped and saved for; it was Annette Aino's second pride and joy, the first being her 'beautiful little girl'.

Slipping behind the wheel and turning the key, she backed carefully out of the drive and quickly took a piece of paper out of her purse before continuing on her journey. She kept the paper on the dashboard in front of her, referring every now and then to the directions at the bottom of the email she had received that morning.

Mina didn't recognise the email address, but she had been through enough blind dates – thanks to Serena – to know that she had been set up – no doubt yet again by Serena. She had shaken her head, feeling amusement and slight irritation, at coming to the realisation that her princess and best friend had not in fact given up, despite the last attempt ending with the boy storming off – arrogant sod that he was – and a very stern lecture Mina directed to a miserable and irritably not-really-listening and very stubborn Serena.

**From:**

**To:**

**Subject:** **Dinner for two?**

_My beautiful Goddess Aphrodite,_

_I know this seems like a prank email from some random stranger, and that your first thought would be to delete this message and forget about it, but I pray that you will hear me out and perhaps decide to play along._

_I also know that meaningless talk irritates you and so I shall come to the point._

_I have arranged for the two of us to have dinner at a restaurant that, I have on good authority, you love. It would please me greatly, and maybe it would make you happy too, if you would join me there tonight at eight o'clock. Ask the matre'd for 'Gin'. Just follow the directions below this message, it should take you about half an hour to get there. Be as early as you like, but please don't be too late if you can help it. I'm afraid I get impatient at the best of times. : )_

_I will be eagerly awaiting your presence, My Goddess of Love & Beauty._

_Sincerely,_

_Star-Light-Moon-Light_

Mina had no idea why she had decided to go through with the ridiculous plan, but she had, and so here she was now, glancing at directions on a piece of paper and driving to an unknown location to have dinner with a mystery man.

Something had just whispered into her mind that she should.

It was when she pulled up in front of the restaurant that she _knew_ that Serena had set her up. It was _Le_ _Rio De La Luna_, literally; _The River of the Moon_. This was the restaurant where the Senshi had held a few meals on special occasions.

It was also the restaurant where Lita worked as a chef.

Mina didn't know whether to smile or to frown.

_'At least I know I'll enjoy the food.' _she thought, half-amused.

With a sigh and a shake of her head – '_my princess is so dead'_ – she gracefully exited the car and handed her keys to the valet that had opened the door for her. Her heels tap-tapped on the tarmac and the granite walk-way as she headed for the doors.

Inside it was warm and she unclasped the wrap and folded it over her arm and scanned the tables she could see from here. No one sitting alone.

"Good evening senorita, and welcome to Le Rio De La Luna. How may I help you this evening?" asked the matre-'d cheerfully.

"Um . . ." she finished scanning the heads in her line of sight and looked at him, chewing her bottom lip. "I was told to ask for _Gin?_" she asked, a little hopefully. She knew better than to add _Mr_ as a prefix, because Serena had once set her up, both as a joke but also to seriously find out if it was so, with a woman.

It was apparently the right thing to say for the matre-'d suddenly smiled brightly at her and nodded. "Si senorita, if you would please follow me." he checked something off in the big ledger that stood on a pedestal near the entrance doors and then nodded to her to follow.

She expected him to lead her to one of the corner tables or even a table in another room – _Le Rio_ was divided into sections with each room named after a colour; the first room was _Le Amarillo_ or _The Yellow_, another was _The Blue_ (_Le Azul_) and so on – but instead he led her down a narrow corridor to the back of the restaurant.

The area he had been told to take her to was known as _La Terreza de Plata_ or _The Silver Terrace_. It was an outdoor eating area with few tables, by the most beautiful gardens for several blocks and lit softly by solar lights and candles placed in strategic yet artistic places. It was considered the most romantic part of _Le Rio_, and indeed one of the most romantic eating spots in the whole city, and was so sought after that there was a six-month waiting list!

Of course, staff got certain privileges, and this one's friend was a very well-liked member of staff and a close friend of the matre-'d, not to mention the fact that the young man she would be dining with enjoyed a certain level of renown, and so this young lady would be dining out there much sooner than would otherwise be happening.

It was into this romantic ambience that Mina stepped with a small gasp. The man leading her could barely suppress a smile. _Gin_ was Japanese for _silver_, a codeword that he had been provided with by the same women that had arranged this, and was a reference both to the young man waiting for the blonde behind him and to the terrace.

He lead the young woman to what the staff called the rose arbour; a small secluded patio area surrounded on three sides by trellises of mixed roses. There were only three tables here, all but one currently unoccupied as had been the plan, and was softly lit by fairy lights threaded among the blooms and by tea-light candles on the tables.

Mina followed the man, curiosity now almost overwhelming. She had heard about this section of the restaurant from Lita and various magazines, and was fascinated to know both where and to whom she was being taken.

"You have very good and loyal friends, senorita." he said, giving her a small bow as he motioned for her to go through the only opening into the arbour. They were both standing a little away from the area, and so she couldn't see who was there.

And they couldn't see out either.

She gave a quizzical look and he only winked. "Someone shall be through to bring your meal soon." and with that he walked off to continue his night's work.

Mina watched after him for a few seconds before looking around, thinking. The senshi usually met in the white room, which was a few floors up, taking up the entirety of the top floor in fact. Just how long had this been planned? And had Serena even had a hand in this? Mina knew enough about the restaurant to know that the waiting list for this particular area was substantial.

She took a deep breath. No sense in turning back now, and she was dying to know just who her mystery date was. She took a few steps forward until she was standing in the entrance way. Her date wasn't looking at her, but rather was smelling a sweet white bloom. He felt her stare and looked towards her, only to mimic exactly her expression of shock.

There was a pause.

The, at the exact same time, both of them said two simple words:

"_It's you!_"

* * *

Yaten didn't know what to think as he watched the lovely blonde now seated opposite him, except that he had definitely been set up by somebody. The only culprit so far as he could see was Seiya.

_The morning started out ok; Seiya had ushered a bewildered looking Taiki out of the door with no explanation, which wasn't exactly unusual but was still odd enough that Yaten had stared at the door with his head cocked to one side afterwards for several quiet minutes._

_Kakyuu had been oddly silent throughout._

_He had completed his morning routine – exercise, breakfast, shower, teeth, clothes – and had headed towards the front door in order to go to meeting with their manager only to find his own princess standing in front of it, effectively blocking his exit._

"_Your meeting has been rescheduled for tomorrow, Yaten. Now, I want you instead to get ready for tonight. Here are your instructions. You are not to bail out of this. It is my will, and you shall do it as asked or else I shall order it of you." _

_Numbly he took the paper she offered and read down it._

"_Remember, tell the matre-'d that you want the reserved table in _La Terreza de Plata._" she pronounced the Spanish delicately. "Everything has been arranged and I expect you, as a representative of Kinmoku, to be polite and well-mannered for your guest."_

_Yaten looked at her again. Was that mischief in her eyes? "But Pri-"_

_Kakyuu cut him off by laying a finger on his lips. She winked. "Have fun, my Starlight." And with that she walked into the living room where she picked up a book and began to read. He had stood there for several more minutes, staring at the sheet of paper incredulously, before shaking his head in utter confusion and heading back to his room. _

_Instruction number one read: **Dress smartly!**_

Now he watched Mina as she sipped her water thoughtfully. He hadn't been too bewildered when he had arrived and there had been nobody here; he had been ten minutes early. No, the definite surprise was the revelation of who his 'guest' actually was.

_'Seiya, you're in trouble, because I can't kill Kakyuu and I know you had a hand in this too!'_

"So," he began as casually as possible, reaching for his own glass of water, "What brings you here?"

Mina blinked at him. "You mean you didn't arrange this?"

Yaten nearly choked, luckily he didn't and instead he offered her a wry smile. "No, I believe I've been set up by a meddling comrade."

"Oh." she hid the slight sense of disappointment she felt at that. '_So Seiya has a hand in this too?'_ She allowed herself a small smile and spoke again. "I think I have been as well." she admitted. "By who is quite possibly the most infuriating princess I have ever known." She removed the email from her purse had showed him.

He read through the message with a sense of foreboding and a feeling of discontentment that her confession stirred up. "You mean Serena plotted this?" He glanced up in time to see her nod and resumed scanning the note. When he finished his lips quirked into a half-amused-half-irritated smile. "That sounds like something Kakyuu would write." he told her.

Mina blinked again. "Kakyuu? You mean . . .?"

Yaten, chin resting in his hand, nodded very slowly and very clearly, now all-amused.

Mina didn't quite know what to think. She was saved from having to respond by several waiters coming over, bearing platters and a bottle.

"Your appetiser, sir, miss." the lead waiter explained. Mina instantly knew a fourth member of the team behind their blind date; she recognised the presentation. There was two small bowls of soup and fresh baked bread and a small salad – Yaten's mind harked back to _instruction number three: **no lunch or snacks!**_

A waitress was pouring wine into glasses. Mina detected a fruity scent and was instantly suspicious. "Is that Blossom Hill?"

"It is, miss. Blossom Hill White Zinfandel." she showed Mina the bottle before putting in a decorative stopper and placing it in an ice bucket to one side.

"It smells delicious." Yaten commented after the waiters had left. He reached for his glass.

"It will be." Mina said absently, selecting a bread roll. "Lita's the chef." she chuckled at the startled look he gave her. "She works here part-time. We come here for special occasions, although I've never been to this part before." she dipped some bread into her soup and nibbled – yum; Lita's crab chowder – she glanced again at Yaten and saw he was doing the same. "Have you ever been to _Le Rio_ before?"

Yaten shook his head; he had decided that this was now one of his favourite soups and he had no idea what it was.

Mina gave him an enigmatic smile. "Then if you love the crab chowder you'll love everything else."

* * *

Serena was enjoying a quiet meal with Seiya, Blaze and Rei. Lita couldn't join them, for she was the sole chef for Mina and Yaten's dinner date. She raised a glass of wine in a salute to the other three before taking a sip. "Here's to Lita's cooking."

Blaze chuckled and raised her own. "And to friendship and fun."

Seiya raised his own glass with a teasing wink. "Here's to making sure I survive the next day."

This earned a chuckle from the three girls; Seiya had two comrades to survive and his chances looked slim, especially as one was a certified genius and the other was as persistent as a terrier.

Rei was last to raise her glass. "And here's to renewed alliances and love and laughter."

* * *

Despite the slight awkwardness at the beginning the meal had gone smoothly with laughter and smiles accompanied by sparkling conversation.

The appetiser, they had discovered it was much lighter than it had appeared, was closely followed by two more sumptuous courses; lamb chops served with seasonal vegetables and a tarragon sauce and a chocolate and orange cheesecake to finish.

Yaten had taken first a small sip and then a slightly larger one of the last of his wine. He had to admit, if this was a senshi favourite then they had decent taste; it had a fruity aroma of strawberries and the flavour upon drinking was more of watermelon. It wasn't overpowering, and while it might not necessarily go with the food that had been eaten it was still a very good wine.

"I shall have to remember to get some of the recipes from Lita." Yaten commented, watching the play of light in his wineglass. "That was delicious."

"It was, wasn't it. I told you you'd love it here." she offered him a wink and dabbed her lips with a napkin. "So, you haven't seemed too horrified by the prospect of sharing a meal with me." Mina said, smiling at him.

The silver-haired Starlight gave her a cat-lazy smile. "It has been surprisingly nice." he admitted. He laughed when she made an expression of mock-hurt. "You know what I mean. It makes a change; usually it's me with Taiki and Seiya, often now our princess joins us." he twirled the glass slightly. "It's been . . . nice." he finished. '_That sounded so lame!'_ he thought.

Mina nodded. "I know what you mean. I came here expecting another boring blind date with some arrogant sod like before."

Yaten looked from the wine to the blonde. "And it hasn't been like that?" he asked, sounding surprised.

She wasn't sure if the surprise was genuine or not. "No, it's been pleasant. Nice, as you said." a very faint blush made its way to her cheeks. "Not that you can't be, arrogant I mean." she added.

The green eyes resumed their watch on the pink-red wine. "I'm glad; for a minute there I thought someone had replaced me." He seemed to realise what he had said as she did, for his eyes widened and lost the sleepy expression as he hastily continued. "After all, I am the most arrogant person in Tokyo, as everyone tells me at some time or other." he forced a chuckle.

Mina nodded, not quite sure what to make of it. "I suppose." His arrangement of words earlier had bothered her slightly. '_Why _did_ he say it like that?'_

A waiter walked up and placed another plate on the table between them. "The chef sends her compliments to the young couple and asked me to bring out this cake for you to enjoy with your coffee."

Mina looked at it while the coffee was poured and Yaten downed the last of his wine. It wasn't big, but then after three full courses she didn't think it would be. There was a small bowl of cream lying next to the plate. She barely heard Yaten thank the waiter before he too looked at it.

"Do you want me to cut it?"

Mina, broken from her reverie, could only utter "Eh?" and instantly she cringed at how unintelligent it had sounded.

Yaten, however, seemed to find it amusing. "Here, let me." and he picked up the silver knife and stood as he cut the small cake – it really was no bigger than a tea cup – in half and placed one side on a plate for her.

"Thanks." she said, smiling at him warmly. _'Why on Earth am I so concerned with how I seem to him?'_ she wondered to herself. _'I almost never care what people think of me.'_

She had only taken a few bites of the cake when she bit down on something hard. Mina winced and extracted the offending object from her mouth.

"Everything ok?" Yaten asked over his coffee cup, sounding concerned.

She held it up. "A coin." her eyes narrowed as she thought. "I think this might be a wishing cake."

"A what?"

Mina looked up, slightly embarrassed that she had forgotten for a moment he was there. "A wishing cake." she explained. "It's an old English custom, I remember because one of my friends' mothers made one once, when I lived in England years ago. You bake a silver coin into the cake and when the cake is cut, the one who finds the coin gets to make a wish that will come true." she made a guilty smile. "I found the coin then."

"And what did you wish for?" the cat-lazy smile was back, as was the soft, sleepy look.

Mina grimaced. "An adventure."

"And how did it turn out?"

She gave a small laugh. "I became Sailor V a couple of months later."

Yaten laughed too. "So, are you going to?" when she looked at him blankly he nodded to the coin in her hand. "Are you going to make a wish? It seems awful to waste it if it will come true."

She looked from him to the coin in her hand with startled eyes. Should she? While she hadn't regretted the decision to become a senshi, there was a darker side to the role; she had died several times and loved ones had been put in danger. _'Why on Earth would Lita bake this for me?'_

"What would you wish for?" she asked finally.

The question seemed to surprise him, for he stared into his empty coffee cup for a while. When he finally looked up he wore a smirk she was more familiar with and winked at her. "That would be telling."

She laughed, and looked at the coin again. There was no way she was wishing for another adventure; once was plenty for this lifetime and she was enjoying the time of peace they had found. '_Well, near-peace.'_ she corrected, her thoughts turning to Darien. Yet again she wondered why he was acting the way he was. He claimed to love Serena and yet he was acting like a total jerk. She remembered all the blind dates and failed relationships over the last few years and suddenly the whispering voice was back and she knew what it was she wanted.

She closed her eyes and brought the coin to her lips, whispering to it. Then she removed a napkin from the table and plucked a rose petal from a deep red bloom nearby and placed it in the tissue paper with the coin. She placed the folded little parcel in her purse and took a sip of her coffee.

"What did you wish for?" Yaten asked curiously. He had been watching her.

Mina winked as she took another sip of her coffee. "That would be telling." she mimicked, wagging a finger at him teasingly. He couldn't help the smile that her actions brought on.

When the waiters came to clear the table a few minutes later Mina placed a hand on one girl's arm. "Please tell Lita that she has outdone herself this evening, and give her my thanks?" she asked, plucking a light pink rose and handing it to her. The girl smiled and nodded.

She winked again at Yaten's puzzled expression. "Come on, this will have all been paid for beforehand." They walked slowly through the restaurant back towards the front door, chatting as they went.

They failed to notice the group of four in the yellow room that hid themselves hastily behind menus when they passed.

"Did you come here by taxi?" Yaten asked, slightly hopeful.

Mina paused in placing her wrap back around her shoulders. "No, I didn't." she said. Did he detect disappointment in her voice? "My mother lent me her car for the evening; mine's sick."

"Sick?" he asked, confused.

"Yes, it coughs." she laughed. "Kind of pathetic really. Amara's going to check it out this weekend."

Yaten shrugged. He was disappointed that she had her own ride but he supposed it couldn't be helped, aside from which he was still trying to figure out how a car could cough.

They handed their tickets to a couple of valets and a few minutes later the black porsche rolled to a gentle stop, followed by a dark green lamborguine. Both accepted their keys and the valets returned to their post.

"Well, I suppose this is it." Yaten said, moving to the driver's side of Mina's car and opening the door for her. The action earned a small giggle from her and she went and sat gracefully in the car seat.

"Thank you kind sir." she teased with a wink. He blushed. The reaction caused her playful smile to fade a little.

"You know," he said, now the picture of seriousness, "You looked beautiful tonight."

Now it was Mina's turn to blush. "Thanks." That little whisper was back, telling her not to move and not to say anything. She still didn't know if the little whisper was her conscience, her inner voice or what, but by now she had decided to trust it; it had told her to go through with the date and she had had a lovely evening.

"No, thank you, Mina, for staying and for keeping me company tonight." his voice sounded strange, even to him, and he knew she heard it too because of her expression. But something was telling him that whatever he was going to do had better be done now. Another time might be too late.

She watched him quietly, her eyes big and blue and innocent. He seemed to be fighting some inner battle with himself. And he was hiding something behind his back and she wanted to know what it was, so she tried to look around him.

Yaten smiled a secret smile and turned slightly, effectively preventing her from looking at what he held. "You asked me a question earlier and I didn't really answer you. Do you want to know the truth?"

She nodded, still not saying anything. There was a faint flush on her cheeks and her blue eyes sparkled as she looked up at him, and the way the moonlight shone on what it could of her hair and skin seemed to make her glow.

"You asked me what I would have wished for, right?" he asked again, leaning in a little closer, speaking just a little lower.

Mina nodded, still unable to say anything. His voice was low and sultry, dripping through her like honey. She felt strange, almost out of breath, and her whole body seemed to tingle and she was suddenly hyper-aware of his every movement.

He removed his hand – the hidden one – from behind his back and threaded the white rose into her hair behind her ear. Then, while her eyes were on that hand and not on him, he leant in even closer and closed the space that had been between them.

Mina's eyes opened wide from the sudden, tingly shock of his lips on hers. She wasn't sure what she had expected, and the rose hadn't been anything she had expected from him. This was even more unexpected! Then she closed her eyes and she couldn't think at all.

He pulled away slightly and she made an odd little sound that seemed to suggest that he had ended the kiss too soon for her liking. Her face was now slightly more flushed than before, and her eyes had become a dusky blue. She looked bewildered and adorable.

Yaten chuckled softly. "I would have wished for you, Mina." he told her. Then he moved a hand to lift her own, kissed it, and let it go again with a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, querida."

He moved away and a few minutes later she heard the soft purr of his car's engine. The lambourgini drew level with her car for a minute, and they watched each other for a few seconds before he nodded and drove away, acting much calmer than he really felt.

The last coherent thought that ran through her head all that night was that wishes did come true after all.

* * *

The others had watched that little scene from the window they were seated by with dreamy smiles and happy expressions.

"Well?"

They all turned to the source of the voice in time to see Lita pull up a spare chair. "Did it work?" she asked. "One of the waitresses said we'd been found out." she lifted a hand to display the pink rose.

Seiya shrugged, completely content with how today had gone. Rei sighed, still staring off into blissful space. Kakyuu sighed with her.

Serena walked around and drew her into a tight embrace, laughing and crying out happily "Yes!"


	14. Chapter 14

**Hooray! (omg that word doesn't look right!) I finally did it! I want to thank you all for putting up with me during this slow and torturous time, but the wait is over. I have the update! To recap for ya (cuz it's been soooo long!) ; Serena decided it was high time four people we all know and love confessed how they felt, and so in one glorious day she hooked up the two resident geniuses and the resident Goddess of Love with the man of starlight, a stroke of pure genius for anybody! But what repercussions would her actions have? Shall we find out?**

**Thanks to all my reviewers and readers for putting up with me in the last couple of months. STAGE ON! ~Ebony~**

* * *

Serena groped along the edge of her bed towards her night stand in a lazy effort to stop the evil ringing phone that protested so loudly that she get up at this ungodly hour.

Whichever ungodly hour it happened to be.

Finally succeeding in finding the damned thing she pressed a random button and put the phone to her ear. "he-" the phone was instantly jerked away from her ear when the ringtone began again. Shrilly. This time she focused on the buttons properly and answered the call. "Hello?" she asked groggily. "Amy? Do you even know what time it is?"

Serena listened half-heartedly. "Is it?" she glanced at the clock on the far wall sheepishly. "Oh, I thought it was earlier. What? Why am I still . . . because I didn't get to sleep until late last night!" she said indignantly. She listened some more. "Why do you want to know that?" the indignant expression was now replaced by a more curious, if puzzled, look. "Okaaay, yes I am working this afternoon." she glanced again at the clock; three and a half hours until she had to get ready and head out. "Ok, see you there."

Amy hung up and Serena stared at her phone for several minutes before reality kicked in.

"Oh god I am so _late_!"

* * *

Darien was pacing in his apartment when Pluto finally arrived.

"You're late." he snapped at her, "I'd have thought that as the senshi of time you'd have a sense of punctuality."

Pluto, to her credit, remained unruffled. "You seem anxious, my prince." she moved the Garnet Staff to her other hand and shifted slightly on her feet to get more comfortable. "Did something happen?"

"I tried contacting you earlier." Darien replied curtly.

"My apologies, I was within my Realm." she watched him for a few moments more. "Something has happened, am I wrong?"

Darien couldn't decide if she were mocking him or not. "Of course something happened! Do you think I would be like this if things were as they should be?"

"Might I remind you that you made the decision to leave our Princess and so left her open to other influences." Pluto's tone remained calm, although inwardly she was beginning to bristle slightly. "You were warned of possible repercussions and so-"

"To hell with that!" Darien interrupted her; he didn't want nor need the lecture. "Serena isn't acting how I thought she would. She just keeps getting closer to _him_! The Inner Senshi and the other two Starlights won't let me anywhere near either of them, not to mention that blonde that keeps popping up everywhere and-"

"What blonde?"

Pluto's normally neutral tones had become sharp enough to make Darien pause in his rant. He eyed her warily.

"About Amy's height, shoulder-length hair, brown eyes, pale skin, wears a choker with a symbol attached to it." actually now he thought about it that symbol looked familiar. "Not to mention the fact that I've seen her near or with Serena a few times now. Why?" he asked curiously. Upon seeing the normally olive-toned skin of Sailor Pluto go decidedly paler he felt an odd mix of concern and curiosity. "Do you know her?"

After a moment's pause and a deep breath, she nodded. "Yes, a long time ago." she looked to the floor and muttered, not quite quietly enough to evade his hearing, "I knew one of them was here, maybe another, our master always sent us in pairs, but I'd hoped it wasn't her."

"Who is she?" Darien was very curious now. "She kept talking of destiny as though she knew it intimately, and she spoke of meeting me before, but I can't remember her."

Although that wasn't exactly true, but he couldn't remember from where.

Pluto now faced a huge internal battle.

On the one hand, she possessed information that might enable her prince to reclaim what was his. This same information would therefore enable the birth of Small Lady, Pluto's young friend. She hadn't been able to check up on Small Lady Serenity because the future at the minute was torn two ways and she missed the pink-haired child greatly, as did Saturn.

However, giving Prince Endymion that information would be a violation of several vows she had sworn when initiated as a Realm Guardian, including an oath of protection and loyalty to her master, the leader of the Realm Guardian team. Princess Serenity was forgiving. Sailor Etherea was not.

Etherea's interest in Earth had just been confirmed by Endymion's description of the girl; Sailor Celestia. Celestia was the Senshi of Discovery, the Guardians' equivalent to Sailors Mars and Neptune. If she was here, then answers would be forthcoming. The only question was how soon.

Another of Etherea's senshi had visited Pluto herself within the Time Realm. Sailor Asrar was the Senshi of Secrets, capable of knowing what a person would try to hide by observation and keen instinct. She was Etherea's version of Mercury and Saturn. Somehow Pluto did not think she had escaped entirely unscathed by that encounter.

The two had only completely failed their master once, but with dire consequences.

The presence of these two of Etherea's senshi told the Time Senshi a great deal:

Sailor Etherea knew that something was going on and wanted answers. Fast.

Sailor Etherea suspected where that something originated from.

They had been ordered to protect Princess Serenity and discover more about the problem.

This would make Endymion's winning over of Serenity very, _very_ difficult.

It was a lot to weigh up.

"Pluto." Darien's tone was commanding. "What is it you aren't telling me?"

She bit her lip, still torn between duty to her prince and duty to her master.

"Sailor Pluto." his voice was even more stern, the dark eyes unrelenting in their gaze.

In the end, she gave him what he wanted.

* * *

Serena Tsukino, for the first time in over a year, burst through the doors to the Hikawa shrine completely out of breath having just run several miles in order to get to Rei's home and the meeting somewhat fashionably late.

Serena Tsukino, for the first time in over a year, had overslept.

The only other two in the room – Rei and Lita – blinked at her.

"About time you showed up, Serena." Rei said, frowning but nowhere near as scathing as she usually would have been. The previous day's events had instilled a somewhat grim admiration of her princess in Rei. Sure, she had already admired her for everything she had done and the distance she was willing to go for her loved ones, not to mention the entire universe, but this had been so different from the Serena she knew in the modern day. She had been almost like-

"Serena, want a cookie?" Lita lifted up the plate so that the blonde could see.

The blonde nodded. "Just a sec." she took several deep breaths. "I knew that going places on time was hazardous. I wasn't this unfit before!"

Even Rei had to smile at that.

It wasn't until Serena had munched her way through three or four cookies, and Lita and Rei had been discussing the previous day's events for a while, that something struck her. "Where are Amy and Mina?"

"I dunno," Lita shrugged, sipping her tea. "I called Mina this morning but her mom said she was still sleeping. And Amy hasn't answered her phone either."

Serena frowned; Amy always answered her phone. Had something happened? "She called me this morning, said she wanted to meet me and asked if I was working."

"And are you?" Rei asked her. When Serena nodded Rei resumed a thoughtful pose. "Hmmm. Why don't we go with you? That way we can hold the meeting there and we'll all be together."

"Are we inviting the Outers to this thing?" Lita asked suddenly. Serena and Rei looked at each other.

"Not yet. One of them is up to something. How else would Darien know everything he does?" Rei said eventually, for Serena was now staring at the table in front of her. "Until we know which one we don't involve them."

"But they're bound to get involved now! Serena just matched up two of her Inner Senshi with two members of the Starlight team. That's screaming of an alliance. Amara at least won't like it, she hates them."

"Which is why my money's on Amara; she's the one always preaching about the future and destiny and Prince Endymion." muttered Rei darkly.

Lita scowled at her; she didn't think it was Amara at all.

"The Outer Senshi can think what they like."

At Serena's words the two girls looked at her in surprise. Serena's blue eyes were firm and clear, radiating authority. She was the picture of the great queen she was set to become.

"But Serena," began Lita.

"No, no buts. I am the leader of this team, and that includes the Outers. I am the princess, and it's time I started acting like one. It is my duty to set up alliances, and while I might take your individual views into consideration it is me that gets the final say. Amara is the only one that utterly hates the Starlights. The rest just don't trust them. I trust them with my life." Serena took a deep breath. "They need to accept that."

Both girls were silent, eyes wide. There was several minutes of silence. Serena's eyes never wavered.

"Well," Rei said at last, "That answers that question."

Lita could only nod; she was both impressed and a little worried. Serena was finally starting to come into her own; she had to admit that she never liked seeing the Outers pressuring Serena on a matter which, in her view, wasn't entirely black and white. Besides, Darien was being an ass. Even Amara would have to admit that.

But still, the idea of perhaps having to go up against them . . .

Rei, meanwhile, was watching her silently with proud eyes; in her opinion Serena had always been far too lenient with the Outer Senshi, with some questionable results. But in this the girl had stuck to her guns, so to speak, and it was paying off. She was growing up again.

Serena stood and offered them a smile. "Come on, let's head over to the café. We can go the long way through the park. It will give us some time to talk."

The other two smiled and stood up too, happy to join their princess on a leisurely stroll in the sunlight.

* * *

Serena was bored.

Rei and Lita were sitting at a nearby table, working on homework. Serena had done all of hers already, not that there had been much to do, and was just about to do something drastic to liven up her boring shift, like maybe drop something loudly and see how high the girls could jump, when the little bell on the door tinkled softly.

She looked up, startled out of reaching for said steel coffee pot, in time to see Blaze walk in with a knowing smile.

"My usual," she said quietly, "And get something ready for the sweethearts; they'll be here in a minute." Serena grinned and obliged her. She had just handed the tray to Blaze, and the red-head had just got out of the way in time, when something blonde pounced on Serena over the counter.

"Sere you are so dead! But I love you too much! Thank you thank you thank you!" Mina trilled.

As it turned out Serena hadn't needed the coffee pot; Rei was now furiously dabbing spilled ink from her fountain pen off her homework with a napkin.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to have done, Mina." Serena laughed innocently. She knew very well what it was but wouldn't let on if she could help it.

"You were never much of an actress Princess." laughed Mina happily. "But I'll forgive you for this act of deception, and for the other." she winked and Serena giggled. "They're still wondering how you managed it! Can you believe it? Twice in one day did our fair Princess have a stroke of genius! Twice did her daring schemes bear fruit." she wagged a finger. "But not once did she consider that which she herself denies."

This was answered by a very unintelligent "Eh?"

Mina only winked again and sauntered off to another table with Yaten, who mouthed a _thanks_ at Serena from over his shoulder.

The Moon Princess was still trying to get over Mina's dramatics when the second couple entered. Taiki had an arm around Amy's waist and the girl was blushing slightly. They walked straight up to the counter, where Serena already had a tray of tea and cake waiting for them.

"On the house." Serena winked. Amy's blush deepened a little more and Taiki offered the blonde a smile.

"Thank you, Miss Tsukino, I don't know if this would have happened if you hadn't intervened." he said.

Serena waved a hand dismissively. "Of course it would have. I just sped things up." then she winked. "And it's Serena, remember?"

Taiki nodded, smiling again; Serena couldn't remember the last time the violet eyes had been so warm. "By the way," he added, "I decided to get this for you. It's not much in the way of a thank you, but I suppose it's a start." he produced a rose from his pocket, one of the most stunning she had ever seen; pearly white with a faint rosy blush to the tips of the delicate petals.

"Thank you, Taiki. But really, I didn't do this to get anything, I did it because you guys mean a lot to me." she accepted the bloom.

"I know," Taiki replied. "Which is why I got this for you. The species' name is _Serenity_." he winked at her wide baby-blues. "And don't think I don't know you have an ulterior motive, Moon Princess." when she blushed pink at having been found out he nodded and joined Amy at Mina and Yaten's table.

Serena amused herself for a few minutes with watching the two new couples laugh together. It was sweet. Mina and Yaten went together like gold and silver, sunlight and starlight. Amy and Taiki were like blueberries and chocolate.

She blinked; if she was thinking about food then it must be time for dinner. But now that she thought about it those two were a little like chocolate and blueberries.

Walking into the kitchen she glanced at the digital clock on the cooker; 17:37. "Jonathan?"

"I'm here bunny." a young man with short black hair and eyes like green glacier ice looked over the top of a book. "We got an order that's more than toast?" he teased lightly.

She ignored the quip; she could cook far better than she used to be able too, but anything too complicated still hung her out to dry. "Yeah, my order." she grinned when he fake-groaned. "Some of your delicious curry and rice wouldn't go amiss right now." she added sweetly.

Jonathan grinned. "You only like me for my cooking."

"Don't I just." she teased him.

Jonathan had joined the café not long after she had, a replacement for a god-awful chef that their boss had already hired. The guy hadn't been a brilliant cook – worse than Serena used to be in fact – and had been arrogant and rude to boot. Jonathan was a god-send. Serena felt a sisterly sort of love for him, and the pair of them acted like brother and sister as well. His cooking rivalled Lita's.

"One bunny-rabbit dinner of lettuce coming up." he grinned, already looking for the requested meal in the freezer; he made up fresh meals at the end of each week and froze them so that he wasn't cooking the staff's at the same time as the customers'.

"You're a sweetheart." she told him as she returned to her post at the till. Serena sighed, then looked around before turning to Blaze, who was sitting at the counter to her left. "No Seiya?"

Blaze shook her head gently, a soft and knowing smile playing on her lips and in her eyes. "Not today, he had some things to take care of." When she saw Serena's eyes dull slightly, a signal she recognised very well from the Silver Millennium, she added "However, I believe he'll be back tomorrow."

The blue eyes brightened again and Blaze hid the smile from her lips now, though her eyes softened perceptibly. Like Mina and Amy, she knew what Serena hadn't recognised in herself. She was also amused, for Thuraya had predicted this for years; the Siriun Empress would be thrilled to know she had been right.

Thuraya would never let them forget it.

At the table meanwhile, the two new couples were deep in conversation about the Moon Princess.

"But it doesn't seem fair." Mina persisted, her lovely eyes glistening with unshed tears. "This is just like her to make sure we're all happy. Next thing you know she'll be setting Lita and Rei up with guys. But when will _she_ get a happy ending? When will _she_ be able to follow her heart like a person should be allowed?"

Yaten put an arm around her shoulders and nodded; he agreed with her. "She did this for us. Yes she may have wanted to create an alliance between the Tankei and Solar systems, but she knew we already felt like this and decided to create that alliance through us."

"Exactly!" Mina whispered, sweeping a hand out to gesture to them all. "An alliance born out of love! Even her mother back when this was the Silver System didn't succeed with this. Selenity tried, we all knew she tried, but even then I had the feeling that things weren't quite right. And everything happening now with the Prince proves it."

"It does seem a bit odd." Amy admitted, thinking. "I remember how happy Serenity was when Endymion proposed and her mother said that the marriage could happen. Of course then the Dark Kingdom attacked us and so things didn't end very happily. But in this life she hasn't been as happy with Darien."

"What do you mean?" Yaten asked. Taiki was interested as well, for the Starlights didn't know much about Darien other than he had been dead when they'd all thought he had abandoned Serena.

Mina ticked points off on her fingers. "When we first awakened when the Dark Kingdom returned, he worked against us, helping us only when it suited him." Another finger. "Then, when he found out Serena was Sailor Moon and Princess Serenity, he developed strong feelings for her." another finger. "Then he nearly died. Then he got kidnapped, brainwashed, and began trying to kill her."

Yaten nearly choked on his drink and Taiki raised both eyebrows.

"I know." Amy said with a smile, "we reacted that way too."

"Next point." Mina waved away the chatter impatiently. "He died."

"What?" Yaten hissed, utterly incredulous.

"Then, he forgot all about her." she thought about it. "Although we did too, because she wanted us all to be normal and we only met her through the Senshi business so that's not entirely his fault, although when she tried to wake him up he was still horrible to her and said she was crazy. Though he did protect her subconsciously because the Moonlight Knight-"

"Mina, you're off topic." Amy prompted her gently.

"What? Oh, right, sorry." she cleared her throat and continued. "Then, he broke up with her and utterly ignored her for months because of some stupid dream that his future self had sent to him so that he would break up with her, which was his lame-brain idea of protecting her and he nearly got her killed as a result. He also made her jealous of her own kid for gods' sakes!"

"Her own kid?" Taiki asked quietly, "But surely she's too young?"

"Rini was from the future." Amy explained. "She'd returned to try and find the Silver Crystal, which was missing in her own time, and to find Sailor Moon and get her to help rescue her mother, who was actually Sailor Moon in the future as Neo Queen Serenity."

Yaten looked from Mina to Amy with wide green eyes. "That makes no sense!"

"I'm guessing you told them about Rini and the whole escapade with the Dark Moon Family." Lita said, moving her chair over to join the conversation. "Yeah we found it weird too. Serena and Darien went so red when they found out the little munchkin was theirs! I nearly died!"

"Moving on!" Mina said sternly. Now Rei was listening as well. "Anyway, he turned against her when we fought Nehalania, although that was because he got a shard of enchanted mirror in his eye . . ."

"Mina, what's your point?" Rei asked impatiently.

"I know, I'm sorry, bad Venus. I'm trying to point out why I thought things were screwy." Mina laughed sheepishly.

The silver-haired young man beside her, however, was looking at her like _she_ was screwy. "I think the whole story is screwy, Mina. It sounds insane. Future this, future that, you're own kid coming back to your teenage years for a visit . . . are you telling me you don't find any of this weird?" he appealed to the others.

Lita looked at him. "We're Senshi." she said bluntly. "Since when is anything not weird?"

"But all of that . . ."

"Are you saying you've never had anything like any of it happen to you?" Rei asked.

"Well, there was the thing with the Owlettes." Taiki mused. When he saw them all look at him he muttered "Don't ask." They shrugged. "But no, other than that our enemies have been fairly normal. I mean, we've dealt with the normal type of psycho, if there is such a thing. Even Galaxia."

"Yeah, I have to admit she was our most normal type of enemy we ever had." Lita said thoughtfully. "I mean, apart from Tin Cat and Aluminium Siren. They could be a little weird. But they were more normal than any of the others."

"Don't get me started on Galaxia!" Mina hissed. "He died before anything even happened! And he throws _roses_ for gods' sakes! And it's a wonder that cape of his never got caught on anything and choked him to death beforehand."

Rei raised an eyebrow. "I take it you've felt like this for a while now?"

"Since he broke up with her over a dream." Mina said stubbornly. "I always thought that if he was truly meant to be with her then he would have used it to find a way to save her other than breaking her heart."

"Jeeze Mina, don't hold it back, tell us how you really feel." Lita said dryly.

"Don't sit there and tell me you haven't had doubts." Mina snapped. "I know you had them once or twice, especially since Galaxia."

Warily Yaten placed a hand on her arm and she calmed down.

"Of course I have." Lita replied soothingly. "After seeing how she was with Seiya, and then watching her with Darien after, I thought it looked and felt a little weird. And with the way the two of them have been acting . . ." she shook her head. "It's all very well talking about it now, but what are we going to do about it?"

They looked at each other in silence.

"Give her what she wants and needs most of course." Mina said at last. "Give her Seiya."

"And how do you propose to do that?" Rei enquired lightly. "She won't acknowledge those feelings in her. I doubt she even knows how she feels."

Amy looked around the group that was silent again. They noticed the glint in her eyes, a glint that wasn't usual found there. "The same way she gave us what we wanted." She looked at each one in turn, her eyes settling on Mina, the resident Goddess of Love. "We set them up."


	15. Chapter 15

**Yes yes, i know, i haven't updated in _months_. Had real problems with this one for some reason. I'd like to thank my Ruka-onee-chan for giving me a name and an idea and my boyfriend for bearing with my terrible angst and hair-tearing episodes over this chapter ;) **

**Also, thanks to Stratalight for her reviews and helpful ideas and comments, darling you are one in a million and i adore you. Thanks to you this chapter turned out like this so hopefully you enjoy it. I hope the rest of you do too. Tough if you don't though, my story lolz. Unless it's really terrible, which i don't think it is. :D Luv you all still!**

**And now, on with the show! STAGE ON! ~Eb~ x x x**

**

* * *

**Luna woke feeling groggy and uncertain of where she was. It took her several minutes to remember that she was back in the Tsukino household and curled up on a chair in the corner of Serena's room instead of her usual position on a corner of the bed. She wondered what had awoken her and how long she had been sleeping.

Yawning quietly the black cat stretched and jumped from cushion to floor, stretched again, then looked at the faintly glowing face of a clock on the bedside table opposite her. _01:49_. She hadn't been back and asleep very long. She and Artemis had only returned from their little quest roughly an hour ago and she had probably been asleep for a little less than that time.

So what had woken her?

Looking around now, nothing struck the feline guardian as being out of the ordinary. Moonlight fell in pale beams through the window, illuminating bed and floor and various objects littering the floor. Serena lay asleep in bed, turning and mumbling something.

Luna frowned. Why was the girl so restless again?

Padding silently across the room she hopped up onto the bed and crept closer, leaning down to hear better.

"Wha . . . wass hap'nin?" was the faint murmur escaping the blonde's lips.

Silently, thoughtfully, the small black feline sat up again, her frown deepening. She hadn't seen Serena this restless since . . .

Turning big brown eyes to the view of the night sky on the other side of the window, Luna recalled a period several years ago where Serena had been this restless, when she had been tormented by depression and dreams. But surely that hadn't happened again? Had it?

The brown eyes returned to the blonde's troubled face.

* * *

Serena looked all around her. There was nothing. Nothing but mist. Pearly white and eerily ghosting around, covering everything.

"Where am I?" her voice echoed through the misty veils, surprising her for the voice that called back wasn't the one she had spoken with, though it was one she knew.

She took several small, slow, tentative steps forwards. "What is this place?" again, that voice that was hers yet wasn't echoed her words and tones.

Looking around gave her no answers; she could only see a swirling waist-high wall of white, and there was no sky above, only darkness, a void. Carefully, unsure of whether there was really solid ground beneath the mists and beneath her bare feet, she moved forward a little more.

A noise.

"Who's there?" by now she was used to her voice echoing, and that the echo was her own voice and yet not quite the same.

Nothing.

She looked around her some more, and it was then that she saw the outline, greyer than the mist that shrouded it, a little way off. Serena got the feeling that the figure was watching her.

"Who are you?" she called out, moving more quickly now and towards this stranger.

The figure retreated into the mist.

"Wait! I only want to ask you some questions!" She moved faster, jogging now. Still the wraith moved, always staying just within her sights, seeming to wish to lead her somewhere. Then, with such suddenness that she doubted that it was ever there, the form vanished.

Halfway through wondering where it had gone, she suddenly realised that she had no idea what she was wearing. Looking down hastily, she saw that she wore her Eternal Senshi uniform but without the gloves, the boots or wings. She felt a little odd to be wearing the incomplete fuku.

She looked up again to see another shadow through the pearly white, this time not human-shaped but squarer. Curious, she moved closer. It didn't move away, becoming clearer and more defined as she came nearer.

Finally she stopped and stared at it, wondering how in the universe it could have gotten there. It was a mirror. An ornate, full-sized mirror.

Cautious now, she moved so that she could look into the reflective glass. The image portrayed brought a gasp to her lips and widened her crystal blue eyes.

She saw herself as Serena Tsukino, then the image morphed into her first senshi form as Sailor Moon, then into her second, then Super, then Eternal. Then two more appeared, one on either side of her.

The one to her right was Kakyuu, wearing a short red skirt that appeared to be made of satiny petals, a red version of the top the Starlights wore and translucent red puffs on her upper arms, and on her feet were pixie slippers. Around her throat was a thin blue ribbon tied in her signature style, upon her scarlet hair her usual headdress, upon her forehead a golden star.

The one to her left was a girl she barely remembered, wearing a bodice and skirt similar to her own scouts' uniforms but in soft, shadowy black. The band connecting the sleeveless bodice to skirt was pure white, the skirt more flowing than the sharp edges of the Sol Senshi fukus though just as short. An oval black jewel glinted on her forehead, and two more were melded to the flesh of her inner wrists. She wore silver bands around her upper arms and mid-calf-high boots of shimmering black edged in silver.

As she watched the girl's form melted into that of another, the dark auburn hair turning black with crimson ends, the brown eyes becoming red, the outfit changing into smoke, a familiar semblance that inspired a thrill of fear and, oddly, concern in Serena.

Then almost immediately her image transformed again, becoming a senshi with a white sleeveless bodice edged at the top with dark grey, with dark silvery grey banding connecting it to the black skirt, a translucent underskirt of silver. The boots were now thigh-high, the silver edging now tracing it's way in a shimmering path of shadowy swirls. Black gloves came up as far as Serena's in her Eternal form, but held in place with silver bands. The collar had lengthened into a cape that reached her waist, the choker dark silver-grey with a symbol of a circle cut through with a horizontal line with a vertical one perpendicular to each end. The same symbol glowed with power on her forehead, metallic black again. The bow at the back was thin ribbons now and silvery-grey.

Serena watched all this with wide, confused eyes. Why would the mirror show her this? But it had not finished with her yet.

Slowly Kakyuu transformed back into her royal form, the black-clad senshi faded into a similar girl in a long black gown, and then the gown changed slightly, became more regal and mature than princess-like and a circlet appeared on her hair. The reflection of Eternal Sailor Moon transformed into Princess Serenity.

At that instant Serena became aware of folds of material falling down softly about her and looked down sharply to find herself dressed in her old gown of white silken folds and gold decoration, the gold bead bracelet around her slim pale wrist, the two trios of pearls in her hair, but no sign of the shoulder puffs she had normally worn, and where once there had been golden rings decorating the top edge of her dress now there were crescent moons on their sides.

She looked up to find that her reflection now matched her appearance, with no sign of the other two members of the Trinity Alliance. But the reflection showed a ruined city behind her, and turning revealed her ancient home.

The capital of the Moon Kingdom.

Serenity ran through the deserted streets, ignoring shadows that moved and whispers that could have been a non-existent breeze. Abruptly, without being aware that she had been headed there, she found herself passing through the gates of the old Moon Palace. Turning back to look down the causeway that connected the palace to the city she saw only mist. The only way to go now was onward.

She blinked and now she was walking down corridors of luminescent white stone.

Blinked again and she stood before two great, silvery double doors.

Two doors that she recognised, for they were the entrance to the grand ballroom.

Slowly she approached these doors, and as she approached they opened of their own accord. The ballroom beyond was empty and dark but for a single shaft of earth-light that fell upon the twin thrones at the far end, and another that fell onto the highly polished floor in the middle of the dance floor.

She could hear faint murmurings from the shadows around her, but she couldn't make out any words or voices. Cautiously she made her way into the room, lifting the long white skirts so that she could walk down the stair without treading on the delicate material. She walked with a grace she hadn't known for a thousand years.

As she walked down the stairs she was aware of her senshi appearing one either side of her as she passed, Inner Court on the one side and the Outer Court on the other. Uranus and Jupiter bowed first as she passed, then Neptune and Mercury, then Saturn and Mars, finally Venus. Pluto was oddly absent, and her absence troubled Serenity for some reason. She walked on past them, not noticing them fade back into shadows when she stepped onto the floor.

She was possibly halfway to the shaft of light in the centre when somebody stepped out into it. Somebody with dark hair and eyes, dressed in navy and black.

"Darien!" Serenity ran to him. He led her into a dance, in and out of small pools of light within a sea of shadows. Finally they stepped into shadows and she felt the figure she held on to ripple, and when they stepped out into the next pool of light she was twirled and came face to face not with Darien, but instead with . . .

"Seiya?" the name escaped her in a breath. He was not dressed as the Seiya she knew, nor was he in female form as Fighter. Instead he was dressed in red and black, royal looking clothing, with a gold circlet around his head, a many-pointed star at the centre of his forehead inside of a ring. Though it looked like her Seiya, some part of her told her that this was not the Seiya she knew, but another form.

They danced into the next patch of liquid darkness, and she emerged into the light alone.

"Darien? Seiya?" She looked all around but could neither see nor hear anything.

A noise behind her, and she no longer stood in the middle of a darkened ballroom but in the palace gardens. Behind her, in shadows, stood her senshi in their royal forms. Off to one side stood Endymion, his face also a shadow like that of his generals who stood behind him. And off to yet another side stood four people she recognised. Galaxia in her royal form, her long orange hair darkening to crimson and burgundy; a young man with long auburn hair dressed in deep, dark violet and indigo, rich clothing and armour; another shorter young man with long silvery hair wearing dark and lighter green of a very similar style; another with raven-blue hair in red and black clothing she recognised from the ballroom dance.

"Seiya?" The question was in her voice. She blinked and the mist was back. Blinked and she stood in a large room, ornate, familiar but one she didn't recognise. Three doors faced her. Black, silver and gold. The black door was centred in the wall, directly in front of her. The golden door was to the left, the silver door to the right. All three were tightly shut.

_A flash of a memory. Serenity calling out her prince's name, stretching out a hand to reach him before she lost him forever._

A tear rolled down her cheek as the images continued. Images she couldn't possibly have seen but still they passed before her eyes.

_A pool of orange and yellow silks and gauzes in the throne room, dead blue eyes listless and staring, pale face streaked with tears._

_Red satin on a staircase, indigo hair over pale features, red-tipped nails, the red gown stained ominously darker by blood._

_Green silks lying amidst dying grass, stained red, the crackle of energy in the air. Lips that had whispered a name with their dying breath._

_Blue velvet and silk beside a destroyed fountain, something sparkling on the frozen ground beside her, tears caught on dark lashes._

"No more." she whispered to the room around her.

_Another kingdom in ruins, two women calling out a name while a third wept within the ruins of the palace._

_Dark energy surrounding a young woman her own age with auburn hair. A scream and the energy pulsed and the woman was changed, her soul warped and her heart blackened by the evil power that had surrounded her._

_Her senshi dying for her against Galaxia, protecting her and the Starlights._

_Kakyuu dying._

_Chibi Chibi dying._

Three strange women in Starlight uniforms, the two on either side fading and the third stepping back into shadows.

"Please, no more." Serenity clutched her head between her hands. "No more." she wept.

"Serenity."

She turned at the sound of her own name, startled by the female voice. Out of the shadows stepped a woman she knew.

"Serenity, my daughter, it has been a long time."

"Mother." she ran to the silver-haired Moon Queen and into her waiting arms.

"My beautiful daughter, why are you so distressed?" Selenity's blue-grey eyes looked down on her, tender and concerned.

"The city . . ." Serenity gasped. "Is it really still there? Or am I only dreaming? I know I'm dreaming but I don't know what's real!"

The Moon Queen watched her daughter with soft eyes as she listened. "Of course you are dreaming, but that doesn't make this any less real, does it?"

"Then the city?"

"Is as real as the day you were born in it. The other eight kingdoms are as real, only on some of the planets they are more hidden away and harder to see. On Neptune it is deep below the sea."

Calmer now, Serenity's eyes lost the urgent shine and softened with relief, although the sadness still lingered. "It's dead."

Selenity smiled softly, sadly. "All the kingdoms of the Silver Alliance are dead in appearance, but they are only sleeping. They await the return of their true rulers. They await the return of their senshi, for the day they walk on the planets' surfaces once more and bring life back with them."

Serenity sighed with relief, and now noticed her hair with a shocked gasp.

A chuckle escaped the ancient Lunarian. "When you saw your past it was with illusions of the modern day printed over some of the images, to make it easier for you to understand." Another small chuckle. "Your hair was really silver, Serenity. Serena."

The crystal blue eyes looked into the pair of eyes an older, greyer version of her own. "I always did wonder . . ."

Another chuckle. "Now you know. Mars' hair was really deep indigo, Mercury's was a brighter blue and Venus' more golden, while Jupiter's was auburn, not merely brown." the sad smile returned. "There is so much you do not recall even now."

"Why? Why can I not remember it? Why, mother?" Serenity demanded, barely preventing herself from stomping her foot.

Grey-blue eyes looked over her head, at something in the shadows that Serenity couldn't see or sense, and the sadness doubled. "For the protection of the ones your memories hold, for your own protection, simply because you cannot remember them for the moment for whatever reason, be it an unimportant memory or simply the wrong time." she looked back at her daughter and fondness entered her eyes. "A mixture of them all and many more, my daughter, it is nothing to be frightened of or resentful for. All your memories will return in time. They are trying to resurface even now."

"Where are you? On the moon? What do all these images mean? And the doors?"

Selenity smiled gently. "You always were full of questions, Serenity. This is a dream. The images are mixed together, turbulent, because you yourself feel confused. Past mixed with present and possible future, with your rather vivid imagination adding to the effect." this elicited a smile from the princess and her mother continued. "The doors are symbolic of the choice you face. You have three possibilities, but you can only have one. You must choose, and do so soon."

"But the past . . ."

"Only controls the past." Selenity frowned. "You control your future. Or at least, I hope you control your future. You must choose, Serenity, and the choice must be made. Soon. As fast as possible. Or the choice will be made for you. I chose for you before, and I have regretted it. Now the choice is yours unless you give it away to another. Unless you give the choice to another and allow them to choose for you, you can decide which door to open. None will open until you are ready. You will return here at that time."

"Where are you?" Serenity asked, pleaded. "Mother I need you. Please."

Tears marred the perfect colour of those older eyes. "I am here in your mind, for right now I cannot be with you in body." she embraced Serenity before drawing away slightly, her form misting." I am not so far away that I cannot hear you. Never forget that. I am here and the choice is yours."

Serenity closed her eyes, tears falling down her cheeks.

* * *

Serena awoke with a start.

"About time Serena, I've been trying to wake you for the past hour or more."

"Luna!" Serena caught up the black cat and hugged her tightly. "Oh Luna I've missed you."

The cat submitted to the tight embrace quietly, sensing that her princess was deeply troubled. "You were tossing in your sleep, crying out. I'm amazed your family didn't come in to see what the matter was! You were having such an awful nightmare."

"Oh Luna, it _was_ awful. Everything was misty, and the mirror, and then the city and the ballroom, and the flashbacks . . . but I spoke to mother." the embrace by now had softened, and the touch told Luna just how upset the girl was. "At least, I think I spoke to Selenity."

"The Moon Queen?" When Serena placed her back on the quilt and nodded she sighed. "I think you need to tell me everything."

Serena opened her mouth to speak.

"Everything, Serena." Luna said firmly. "From the beginning. Queen Selenity would not give you nightmares. And you've changed since I saw you last. What's happened to you?"

Slowly, and with many pauses, Serena told Luna everything that had happened.

By the time she had finished, the first streaks of colour were brushing into the sky on the horizon. Luna sat deep in thought.

"I admit, things did feel a little odd while we were away, but we put it down to worrying about you girls in case another enemy came during our absence. We had no idea that it might be real trouble at home."

"Luna, do you think I should ask Pluto about Thuraya?" the thought had just struck her and she had been meaning to ask for a while now.

Yawning, the cat looked out the window. "I was advisor to your mother during the Silver Age." she began quietly. "It would be my honour if you would allow me to be one of your advisers now."

"Of course." Serena sounded surprised that Luna would ask so formally." I treasure your advice, even if I don't always follow it. You know that. Besides, I thought you already were."

"Then my advice is to go see Rei and talk to her about this. Find out which of the Outer Senshi is betraying you, because what they are doing is nothing short of a betrayal." Upon seeing Serena's eyes widen she nodded. "Oh yes, and as princess it is up to you to bring them back into line. You won't have the full respect of your senshi unless you prove to them that you mean business, Serena. You have grown up a lot since the Starlights left us, and even more since Artemis and I left, but you still have much to do."

"Will you help me?" the tears were back in her eyes. "I can't do this alone."

Luna gave her a level stare. "If I can promise you one thing, Serena," she told her gently but firmly, "It is that you are far from alone."


	16. Chapter 16

"It'll have to be done slowly." Amy told them, "We need to show Serena that she already has these feelings. She began to acknowledge them during our fight against Galaxia and her Animamates, but she's buried them deep again since then in an attempt to stay with Darien."

"And we all know how _that_ turned out." Mina said dryly.

Amy shushed her.

"I'll never forgive him for dying before the whole thing even started." Mina said stubbornly, folding her arms over her breast and sticking her nose in the air. "That was just pathetic."

Rei shushed her.

"The point," Amy continued, "is that all we need to do is give these emotions the opportunity to come to the surface again. Make her spend more time with him, maybe urge her to go out with him alone without making it seem like a date. But it's going to take a lot of work and more than the four of us to pull it off successfully, and sooner rather than later."

"Kakyuu has already agreed to help." Yaten told them. They were free to use their Princess's true name among the rest of the Inner Senshi. "I think she's been aiming towards this goal for a while now."

"It'll be St Valentine's Day soon, and White Day soon after." Mina added. "We can plan something for then."

"Yaten . . ." Rei trailed off.

He turned lime-green eyes on her curiously. "What?"

The soldier of flame and passion fidgeted. "I was wondering, that day in the café, when we met Feryal and Darien showed up." the Starlight nodded and she continued, a trifle braver now. "You really seemed to dislike him. I wondered why. I mean," she added hastily, "he hasn't done anything to you per say."

"It's fine." Yaten sighed. "It's just that . . ." another sigh, this time frustrated. "You all know that Mina is empathic."

They all nodded and Lita spoke up. "You are too, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I can feel it when a star is born or when a star dies. It's partly why the fight against Galaxia was so painful for me. Hundreds died at once. It's not a nice feeling to experience. It feels like a stab in my heart."

Tenderly, the girls all laid a hand on his arm, hand or shoulder, wherever they could reach, seeing that he was upset even recalling the memory. Taiki watched him carefully, also concerned.

But the shortest Starlight shook it off and gave them all a gentle smile. "I'm fine." he reassured them all. "But i'm empathic too, you're right." he sighed, and his eyes narrowed at the surface of the table as he mulled his next words over. "I don't like the feelings I get from Shields." he admitted.

The girls all looked at him curiously. Taiki sipped his green tea, already knowing about this; Yaten had discussed it with himself and Kakyuu. They hadn't told Seiya yet for fear of what the protective Starlight would do.

"I'm not sure how deep or how dark these feelings run in him." Yaten admitted. "He's very good at shielding himself. He's earned that surname of his. But every so often, like that day at the café, they leak out a little."

"What emotions?" Mina soothed.

"Frustration." Yaten began, speaking slowly, ensuring that he used the right words. "Anxiety, worry, fear, self-recrimination, hatred. And he also feels very . . . _possessive_ of Serena." He paused. "Wariness." he began at last. "He's being very secretive as well." he added thoughtfully.

"I wonder why?" Lita said, equally as thought.

"When I spoke to my mother, she said it sounds very likely that he's hiding something." Amy explained. "Something we're very likely to disapprove of." she added significantly.

Rei's mouth dropped open, Lita gasped, but it was Mina who voiced their thoughts. "You don't suppose he's . . .?"

The bluenette shrugged. "It's always a possibility. This early in the game we can't discount anything. We don't have enough evidence to pick and choose our theories."

"Have you told Serena yet?" when Amy shook her head Lita sighed. "It's just as well. After talking with you guys I don't like the idea of her going to his apartment or something to confront him. We wouldn't be able to get there if something happened."

"I bet Feryal would get there." Mina said absently.

Taiki chose this moment to speak. "Rei, you still communicate with fire, right?"

"Yes." if anything her psychic abilities and her pyrokinesis had only gotten stronger. "Is there something specific you want me to look for?"

He nodded. "Feryal."

"What do you mean?"

"Would you be able to contact her through the fire?"

She thought about that one for a few minutes, chewing it over along with a sandwich. "Possible." she said. "Does she have an affinity with flame?"

"Sailor Celestia is the Senshi of Discovery and of Solar Winds." said a male voice near the door in Rei's living room. They all turned to see two cats, one white one black.

"Artemis!" Mina scooped him up and cuddled him. "Where have you been? You haven't called or anything!" she scolded.

"Hey Artemis, Luna." Rei and Lita chorused.

"Welcome back." Amy said. Taiki gave a hello. Yaten went and picked up Luna to cuddle her, causing her to purr loudly.

"It's nice to see you two back on Earth again." Luna told the Starlights. "Serena told me last night that she had set the two of you up with Mercury and Venus. Congratulations."

"And you had better look after them." Artemis said threateningly, but his glower was diminished by Mina scratching his ears and pulling his tail affectionately.

"You think i'll let anything happen to her?" Yaten raised an eyebrow, but his voice was laced with something a little darker than incredulity.

"Of course not." Luna soothed him. Turning to Artemis she scowled. "I told you to behave yourself."

Ignoring the white feline's mutterings about never being too careful, they returned to their conversation.

"Would that be enough?" Taiki asked the priestess.

She nodded. "It should be."

"How do you know all this?" Lita asked the cats.

"We remember them now." Artemis said simply. "Our memories of them during the Silver Age have unlocked themselves for some reason. Do you know the name of her partner? Civilian or Senshi. Either one will do."

"Lumina." Taiki told him; he'd overheard it.

Luna nodded. "Civilian name. And it's not surprising. They're two of only three members of the Guardian team that are actually from the Siriun System."

"Eh?" Lita blinked.

"The Guardian Senshi team are not like most others." Luna explained. "They are made up from selected senshi from all over the universe. Rumour in the Silver Age said that the team's leader had a sentry in every system!"

"Lumina is the civilian name of Sailor Asrar, the Senshi of Secrets and Shadows. Her civilian name means _enlightened_, while her senshi title means _secretive_. The two are the only others besides Sailor Etherea who are from the Siriun Constellation, or the Siriun System. We only know of a few other members of the team for certain."

"Like 'Saviour." added Yaten. They'd met the young woman, over a thousand years old but barely looking older than fourteen, during the coronation of the new Siriun Empress. A young woman with long leaf-green hair and ruby-red eyes. Artemis nodded.

"Who's Saviour?" asked Lita.

"A Starlight from a previous team." Taiki told her. "She's 'Healer's equivalent. They're so alike it's almost frightening, except she's a little more expressive of her softer side."

The thought earned a chuckle, but then Rei piped up a question.

"So you guys weren't your princess's senshi back then?"

The two guys shook their heads. "We don't know who we were or where we were from."

"Bit weird." Lita sniffed. "We were Serenity's senshi. Why are you Kakyuu's now? And why isn't 'Saviour with her princess?"

"Probably because Sailor Starsaviour joined the Guardian Team permanently after her own kingdom was attacked and her princess killed." Luna supplied. " One of the other two was fatally wounded and placed in a crystal stasis case to heal, the other was depressed. It broke up the previous team. As far as I know the other two are in suspension until they are needed again, which is when 'Saviour will probably rejoin them."

"Which might be soon," Artemis added, looking at Taiki and Yaten, "if you three decide to stay here and resign from your guard duties." It was a sobering thought, and both Yaten and Taiki became very quiet.

"What are the names of the others?" asked Mina.

"Well," Yaten stretched. "You've got 'Creator. She was Taiki's equivalent."

"And then there is 'Defender. She was supposed to be a lot like Seiya." finished Taiki.

There was a pause and then both said, in total unison;

"_Exactly_ like Seiya."

This earned chuckles around the room.

"Rei," at the sound of her name the priestess looked at Luna, "I want you to do something for Serena, a task. She'll ask you herself later, but I wanted to make sure."

"Of course, go ahead." Rei was all business. She sounded like Mars, distant and cool, a misleading demeanour for one so fiery and passionate. Everyone now was quiet, sensing that this was a royal request and not just a friendly favour.

"We both want you to scry with your fire." Luna explained. "One of the Outer Senshi is being disloyal to our Princess. She wishes you to discover which it is so that she has an idea of who to trust and can deal with the traitor."

"I don't think it's Amara." blurted Lita. They all looked at her. The brunette squirmed a little and then elaborated. "It doesn't feel right to me." she explained quietly. "It feels too subtle, too sneaky. Amara would be right in Seiya's face."

"I agree." said Yaten unexpectedly. "Uranus dislikes Seiya, mainly because of what happened with her lover in the dressing room that one time, but she'd be more up front about the situation. It's not in her nature to be so dishonest, and I do not think that she would willingly betray her princess without good reason, for she is a creature of honour and loyalty. Besides, we all know how protective of Serena she is."

"And anyway, even Amara would have to admit that the precious Terran Prince is being an ass right now." Lita added.

"I'll still check them all." said Rei. "Better safe than sorry, especially where Serena is concerned. I still remember that episode with Galaxia."

Luna nodded, satisfied.

…...

"We've been contacted by the Lunarian Advisors." Lumina reported almost as soon as Thuraya's form appeared in the reflective mirror.

The Lady General's eyebrows rose. "Luna and Artemis of Mau?"

"The two and the same." Feryal confirmed. "Caught me looking around the White Moon Kingdom, what was left anyway."

"And you told them . . .?"

"That we'd let them know as soon as we realised what it was we'd found exactly." she shrugged; it wasn't a _big_ lie. "They appear content to trust in our presence on Terra."

"They also seem to remember us." Lumina added, tossing violet hair over her shoulder.

This earned a chuckle from their Empress. "Why am I not surprised?"

Both her senshi stared at her. "Thuraya," Feryal began, "you haven't tampered with any memory locks, have you?"

Thuraya shook her head. "Not yet." she paused, seeming thoughtful. "Though I might end up easing Serenity's frustration some time soon."

Even Lumina smiled; the mischievous spark was back in their leader's eyes. It was something they had sorely missed during her absence. "What will you allow her to remember?"

Thuraya sobered again. "The past, certainly, however," she paused delicately, "I admit, i'm frightened about her possible reaction to the knowledge I erased of _that_ year."

Both Feryal and Lumina knew that she only admitted this because of who they were, and also because of how fond she was of the Moon Princess.

"Aside from that," Feryal continued, "You may want to consider a trip to Terra. The cherry blossoms are gorgeous and you might want to hit Endymion yourself considering you couldn't before."

The brown eyes narrowed. "What has he done?"

"Nothing, yet." Lumina told her, "However i'm not sure how long this peace is going to last. Feryal has already had to fend him off twice."

"With a little starlight anything's possible." Feryal added with a wink.

Arching one slim eyebrow, Thuraya regarded her friend and comrade wryly. "Only a little starlight? My my. Endymion has certainly become weak." she shook her head at the joke, but became serious almost immediately. "Your orders remain the same, but keep a closer eye on Endymion and Pluto from here on. And on Serenity and Kakyuu as well. I fear that something will happen to them if we are not vigilant."

Neither Feryal nor Lumina commented on her use of the _we_; Thuraya felt responsible for her alliance-sisters' well-being.

"Please," the tone the High Empress used now was soft, almost pleading, "don't hesitate to call me if you need help. I know that you are both hesitant about bringing me back into battle but . . . I can't just stand around here looking pretty when I know that the pair of you, and Kakyuu and Serenity, are in danger."

Lumina nodded, eyes oddly misted.

"We will, 'Raya." Feryal said, bowing and smiling. "Don't worry, we know you're not really fragile." she added with a wink.

"But habits ingrained by training and social standings are hard to break." Lumina finished.

"What about habits formed by old friends?" Thuraya asked quietly. "Do they mean less?"

The smiles from her friends told her no. she returned the smiles with one of her own. "Thank you. Both of you."

"Our command is your desire, 'Raya." Feryal winked at her. "Besides, I was always fond of Princess Serenity. I'm even fonder of her now." she paused then added, delicately, "She wants to speak with you, you know."

A slow nod and guarded eyes met her words. "I know, but it is dangerous at the present. Perhaps too dangerous. I have an Ursane delegation demanding entry to our system and i'm trying to locate the whereabouts of some of the Guardian Agents. Also, 'Defender and 'Creator show signs of awakening. 'Saviour is thrilled by the news, but, perhaps predictably she is wary as well. As are we all."

The two women nodded and bowed, hands over hearts a second before the image of their master faded from the mirror. When they stood their own reflections stared back at them.

"So what now?" Feryal looked at Lumina. "This is going to get much harder very quickly, and we can't count on help from home to arrive very fast, not with everything that 'Raya has to contend with right now."

Lumina turned to walk out of the room.

"I am talking to you, _Silvana_!"

The name made Lumina pause.

"I know you've felt it too!" Feryal was frustrated. "You're the Senshi of Secrets, as I am the Senshi of Discovery. Together we reveal the truth. I _know_ you have felt this as well."

"I have felt what is coming, it's true." Lumina said once Feryal had returned to silent frustration. "But it is not our duty to dwell. It is our duty to act. What good can come of brooding over something?

Feryal lifted her head; her golden-brown eyes met amber orbs that were steady and unyielding.

"Nothing." she murmured.

"Exactly." Lumina tossed violet hair back over her shoulder, a habit borne of frustration. "And so we do our duty. We _act_, Amorina." she turned to leave and added as she walked through the open door. "Remember that."

Feryal gazed after her a little sadly. The use of her royal name, a counter-attack against the use of Lumina's by Feryal, was not lost on the blonde.

…...

"Rei?"

The group gathered around the table looked at the doorway in surprise. Serena stood there, looking tired but healthy.

"Hi Meatball Head."

"Hey Serena."

"Hello Serena."

"Hi girl!"

"Miss Tsukino."

"I brought cookies for ya Serena."

The group blinked and looked at each other, surprised at how easily they'd fallen into having two of the Starlights among them.

Serena chuckled. "It's nice to see you guys getting along so well." she walked over and scratched Artemis behind an ear. "And it's nice to see you again too, old friend. I was beginning to worry."

The white cat purred his reassurance.

"How did you sleep last night?" asked Mina. The others wondered why she had asked such a bizarre question of the blonde.

Serena met Mina's eyes, saw the glow in them, and sighed. "I didn't think i'd be able to lie to you." she murmured. "Not too well." she continued after a moment. "I had . . . odd dreams."

She explained about the dream she had had to the others.

"Odd indeed." Taiki observed.

Yaten let out a low whistle. "Always knew you were crazy." he grinned. Serena smiled in response to his teasing.

"I knew you were troubled." Mina said quietly. She was staring at the trees outside the window. "I could feel it. But Artemis told me to stay where I was."

"Luna was more than capable of handling it." the white cat stated when everyone, including Luna, looked at him. "Besides, I didn't think you'd want too many people there right at that moment."

Serena nodded. "Why do you guys all know me so well?"

"Because it's our job, both as your advisers and as your friends and guardians." Luna padded across the table and nuzzled Serena's arm. "I told you, Serena, you're not alone in facing this."

"Damn straight!" everyone looked at Lita, who had punched the air to punctuate her sentence. The brunette blushed. "Umm . . ."

"Of course you're not alone." the sternness in Yaten's voice saved Lita from being stared at much longer. "We'll help you to the end. You know this." his hand clenched into a fist, green eyes fierce as they burned a hole in Rei's tabletop.

"Did you think us unable to help you?" Taiki asked.

Serena looked horrified. "N-no. Of course not I . . . I didn't want to burden you with-"

"Serena, when will you learn girl?" Lita shook her head. "You are not a burden to us."

"We're you friends Serena." Amy added, "What kind of friends would we be if we let you struggle on alone?"

"We're always here for you. Whether it's to destroy some nasty monster or Negaverse creep, beat up a guy who's broken your heart or go on a random shopping spree and gorge on ice cream." Mina winked.

"So you're stuck with us." Rei finished. "Whether you like it or not, we share your problems. So stop being stubborn and let us help you."

Tears began to fill Serena's blue eyes.

"Uh-oh guys, she's gonna cry on us!" Lita chuckled.

"Someone fetch the earplugs." Rei laughed too.

The joking brought out a watery smile. "Thanks guys. For everything."

"You're welcome." Rei said simply. "Now then, is there anything my Princess desires that isn't going to wipe out my kitchen cupboards?" she smirked.

Serena nodded, the tears leaving her eyes and her face becoming serious. Both Yaten and Taiki were struck with the image that this was not the care-free Serena Tsukino they knew and loved in this lifetime, but the ethereal Moon Princess of so long ago, the Queen she was to become in the future.

"Rei, I have a task for you."


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello everybody! I have your update! It's great how many people are enjoying this story. Over 10,000 hits! I'm considering to put in a little side-chapter just for a bit of fun, but i'm not sure it'd be a good idea. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed/fave'd/alerted/just read without doing any of the above. Your interest is absolutely inspiring. and thanks to Strata-light for the last review, it was awesome and very helpful. a lot of you helped me with this one with some of your comments and so i dedicate this not to just a few people, but to all of you.**

**STAGE ON! Eb x**

* * *

Amara entered the kitchen to find Michelle standing at the window. The aquanette turned to face her, sadness and concern lingering in the ocean depths of her eyes.

"Where is Trista?" Amara asked.

"At her post, by the Chronos Gateway." Michelle answered her. She cast blue eyes to the window again and looked at her love, eyes pleading. "Amara, I'm worried about Hotaru."

Cocking an eyebrow, the blonde moved over to her and put an arm around her. "Why is that?"

"She has been acting strangely." she leaned in to the blonde's embrace. "Quieter than usual. She spends all her time in the garden and she won't look at Trista. She meets my eyes, but she says nothing, and the expression in them is strange."

"Strange how?"

"Between curious and accusing."

Both eyebrows rose now; a strange combination indeed. "Why would she look at you like that?" Amara hadn't seen Hotaru for a few days now; she had been racing on a tour.

"I don't know, it worries me." the blue eyes looked at her again. "Talk to her, please?"

Amara nodded, kissed Michelle's forehead and made her way into the spacious garden.

The Outers' Mansion, as the Inner Senshi called it, had in fact got more room than the four women who inhabited it could fill. It could comfortably house the entire Sol Senshi team, should the others so wish to join them. The Outers had given them the offer, but the younger ones refused, preferring instead to share a house of their own. It had been Trista who had bought the mansion, and Amara and Michelle often thought that the Time Senshi had intended for them all to live together.

Having the Inners with them would certainly make the days lively. Amara could just imagine Minako running down stairs, laughing manically as Rei chased her, angry over some comment the self-proclaimed Goddess of Love had made in passing.

The garden was in full bloom now, a riot of soft colours and beautiful blossoms, delicate scents. She found Hotaru tending to some lilies. The teenage girl showed no sign of knowing that Amara was even there, but Amara knew differently.

"Hey princess." the blonde settled down beside her.

No reply.

"How have you been?"

"Ok."

It was one syllable, but it sent relief coursing through Amara; for a minute there she hadn't thought Hotaru would acknowledge her at all.

"Michelle says you've been spending a lot of time out here lately." she frowned when the younger girl shrugged. "Something is wrong. I know it is."

"I spent some time in the café where Serena works the last week." Hotaru tidied up a lily. "The Starlights were there too."

Amara schooled her features carefully. "So?"

"Darien showed up."

"Good, he should be spending more time with kitten instead of ignoring her like he has been." she noticed Hotaru's shoulders stiffen visibly and looked at her in surprise. "What's wrong princess?"

"He acted like a jerk."

To say that Amara was shocked by these words was an understatement. "Hotaru . . . he has a lot on his mind."

"Don't defend him."

What had gotten into her? Amara gave the dark-haired girl a long look. "Alright, I'll bite. What's troubling you kid?"

Hotaru turned to look at her and Amara nearly started; the expression in her eyes was a mixture of curiosity and accusation, just like Michelle had said.

"Do you really hate the Starlights?"

What an odd question. "Wel-"

"Really?"

Biting her lip, Amara thought about her answer. "I suppose I don't hate them as such, it's a strong word after all. I hated myself during the battle with Galaxia, and I may have hated them . . . one of them for a time but . . ."

Hotaru nodded. "So you don't trust them then?"

Again, Amara bit her lip. Did she? "I don't think it's that either, after all they protected our Princess with their lives, just as we had all done, when we could not." a fact for which she was eternally grateful to them for even if she chose not to admit it.

"Then what?"

The wind whispered while the two sat in silence, Hotaru waiting and Amara thinking.

Finally, with a long-suffering sigh, Amara rubbed her forehead wearily. "I guess it's my job, much as it sucks. Some people just don't get along and I'm afraid that the Starlights and I do not get along." she looked at her young charge seriously. "Why? Do you feel differently?"

Hotaru returned to her lilies. "I wasn't awake during the Silver Millennium because nobody trusted me not to destroy the universe, so I don't have quite the sense of _duty_ that you, Sailor Neptune and Sailor Pluto have."

Amara sensed during the girl's pause that this was Saturn speaking, not Hotaru, or maybe it was both? And the younger girl's emphasis didn't go unnoticed.

"All I know is what I was told upon awakening, and being allowed to stay awake."

Amara cringed; she didn't like being reminded that the only reason this girl was still alive was Sailor Moon's, Serenity's, Serena's compassion and insight.

"But between everything I've been told, and everything I've heard and seen, I think we've misjudged some things."

Amara looked at her in surprise. "What makes you say that?"

"You and Neptune want what's best for me, but you've left me free to make my own decisions, to chart my own destiny around being a Senshi, which is the only thing I can't control." she looked up, dark purple eyes old and calm. "Why is our Princess to be treated any differently?"

The blonde blinked. "She is to be our ruler, she must be guided."

"But surely she can make her own decisions."

Amara did not miss that it was said as fact not question. "Hotaru, she is to rule a kingdom, she must be guided-"

"You already said that."

The blond racer frowned. "You're being incredibly blunt."

"Why is her destiny set in stone? Surely ours should be too, as her protectors? Why can't she be free, like us?"

Amara had no answer to that one. "But that's the way it has to be."

Hotaru stabbed angrily at the ground with a trowel.

"Then destiny sucks."

* * *

Rei sat in front of the sacred fire in the temple, focusing. Behind her, lined up along the wall, were the rest of the Inners, Serena, the cats in human form and the two Starlights present. The latter two looked like they were trying to hide their awe.

She returned her focus to the flames and took a deep breath. "Flames of Truth, I ask that you show me that which is hidden from our eyes. Show us, show us the reality stripped of fantasy. Show us the truth."

In answer to her voice the flame roared ever higher.

Taiki and Yaten let out a gasp. Lita chuckled. "I forgot you'd never seen her do this before. This is how we find out about our enemies and our friends." she winked at the shocked stares her words received and put a finger to her lips.

"I've yet to get her to let me spy on boys with this thing." Mina stage-whispered on Makoto's left, the opposite side to the other two. Rei's annoyed shush mirrored Yaten's feelings at that statement.

"Here we go." Artemis muttered, watching the priestess warily; she had begun to glow scarlet. He turned to the two newcomers and stifled a grin. "You might get a bit caught up in her vision, but don't worry, you won't come to harm."

Rei, meanwhile, was now fully absorbed by the fire, unknowing of anything that was happening around her besides the flames. She could see!

_A trio of young women, her lovely Princess Serenity, a girl who could only be Kakyuu, and a third that she did not know but felt a familiar pull towards regardless. Their mothers stood behind and above them, heads and shoulders the only parts of their bodies she could see. Three shadows sent to destroy three powerful kingdoms. Lives torn apart and asunder. All three shadows defeated since; Metallia, Chaos, the Doom Phantom. The third shade defeated thrice._

She frowned; to her knowledge they had only faced the Doom Phantom once in this lifetime, and Serena had banished him for good. Or had she? Rei got the feeling that his third defeat had been recent.

Bits and pieces of Serena's dream flashed through her mind.

_Dancing with Darien, then with a Seiya who wasn't the one they knew and yet somehow he was their Seiya! Four Senshi standing in the shadows; three came into the light and though Rei did not know them she recognised them, but the fourth remained in darkness. And Rei knew that it was she who was the traitor, if only she could see the shadowed Senshi's face then she would know . . ._

_A flash of a staff and an orb, long dark hair, but the vision fled before she could pursue it._

The others watched their friend with a measure of concern, the worry sharpening when Rei let out a small growl of frustration. Sweat had begun to bead on the miko's brow but it wasn't from heat but from effort.

Yaten watched her, feeling the frustration and anger as the ravenette tried to see past the block on her sight. He brushed his mind along the outside of her consciousness lightly, not wanting to distract but wanting to help, and then he suddenly opened his eyes to find himself floating in fire opposite the priestess.

She looked the same and yet different, the eyes were darker and stormier, the hair less black and more violet-indigo, and the clothes she wore . . . he couldn't tell if they were her priestess robes that she had been wearing or something else altogether, for they flashed between the two. He only knew she wore something red.

"Here, let me help a little." Her clothes became a short belted tunic, pale red with a cape attached at the front by an oval gold clasp studded with a large oval ruby and golden sandals adorned her feet. Golden wrist-bands glinted on her forearms.

Suddenly, with an overwhelming sense of awe, he knew who this was. "L-Lady Mars." the words slipped past his lips before he could think of them.

She smiled. "Who else?" the smile grew sober. "You have never done this before, have you?" when he shook his head she sighed. "I'm surprised you got through the barriers, but then, they were erected against particular forces and you probably don't fall into that category. I didn't realise your empathy was so strong."

Yaten could feel the power emanating from the young woman before him, and when she turned to face him next he could see the resolve in her eyes like a tangible thing.

"I am Princess Raechal of Mars, Priestess and Princess of Martian Flame, Lady Mars of Serenity's court, a Crown Princess of the Silver Alliance, Guardian and Protecter of High Princess Serenity, the second-in-command of her personal guard. I am Sailor Mars, the Senshi of Flame and Passion, and Rei Hino, your friend and comrade." she smiled. "It is my pleasure and my honour to meet you in this sacred space." She bowed to him from the waist.

He inclined his head, still shocked, in acknowledgement of the formal introduction. "Where am I?"

"I am not sure." was the untroubled response. "Some might call this Hell, but I know no true name for this place. It is where my mind goes when I seek visions and truth about a matter. My sight brings me here almost daily. Your empathy has brought here today for the first time." she frowned for a moment. "The only thing I know is that this is the Elemental Flame."

"Why am I here?"

She looked at him. "I don't know. But there is probably a reason. The fire drew you in, which means you are here for a purpose. Perhaps to help me uncover the truth."

Now she gestured to her right, and he looked and saw the frozen scene of the three Senshi standing in the light and the one remaining in shadows.

"This is one of the visions I have received, but I cannot go any further into it. Something is blocking me."

Yaten's gaze found the smaller of the three unknown Senshi, a blonde with brown-tipped bangs and deep brown eyes clad in pale green and orange, holding a flaring whip in her hand. "Sailor Celestia."

Rei's eyes looked at the Senshi too and then her lips relaxed into a smile. "It is her, isn't it. I had thought it was but couldn't be sure."

"Can we speak to her?"

Now the violet eyes looked troubled. "I don't know."

"Why don't we try?" Yaten held out his hand and Rei, Lady Mars, took it with a flash of humour, then both closed their eyes and concentrated on the girl they sought.

* * *

Lumina had just walked back into the living room of their apartment when she saw Feryal collapsed on the floor with her eyes tightly shut.

"Goddess, no!" she ran to her and lifted her friend's head onto her knee. "No, not now. Come on Feryal wake up!" she shook her gently but only succeeded in eliciting a small moan from the blonde in question.

"We're supposed to make our report in a few minutes, you can't do this again! I command you to return to the waking world Feryal!"

Nothing.

"Let us not be hasty, child." the voice was delicate, and a pale, delicate hand laid itself gently and reassuringly upon Lumina's shoulder. "Someone has called to her, and as a Daughter of Flame she responds. It is her duty. Let us wait and see what news she will bring."

The shock of the woman's presence broke through the haze of panic that had settled around Lumina. She nodded at the older woman and they sat together to wait it out.

* * *

"Did it work?"

Rei looked at him. "I'm not sure."

"You say that a lot here." he laughed.

She frowned, irritated. "I deal with impressions, not facts."

"Well, what's your impression now?"

"That next time Lady Mars should use a little subtlety in her summons." the new voice was just as irritated as Rei. "I am going to have one helluva headache when I wake up again, not to mention explaining myself to my fellow Senshi. And you," angry brown eyes now turned to Yaten's shocked form, "should know better than to come to this place. You are not of the Flame."

Feryal was clad in the tunic and trousers she had worn when her master had first sent her to Earth to deal with the situation growing there, but the whip was curled up against her hip. She didn't look angry per say, but she definitely did not look pleased.

"Sailor Celestia-" Rei began

"So you know my identity."

"You are the Senshi of Discovery, yes?" Yaten's confidence was only in voice at that moment, but his bold words gave the annoyed woman pause.

"Discovery and the Solar Winds, yes I am." she shifted and looked from one to the other. "What of it?"

"Perhaps you can help us discover something. Something which ails the Princess of this system." his eyes bored into Feryal's, willing her to answer yes.

"You want to know which among your number is traitor and why." when both Rei's and Yaten's mouths flopped open she laughed, and the darkness in her eyes lifted in less than a second. "Discovery, remember?"

"You seem to know everything." Rei said, not sure how she felt about it.

Feryal gave a grim smile. "It is my job." she sighed and looked around her. "I have not been here in too long a time. My duty often calls me from what I love."

Tucking away that remark for later analysis, Rei approached her. "Please, if you know something, help us. It breaks Serena's heart to know that one of her Senshi is betraying her."

Feryal looked at her, and the expression in her eyes was sad, almost regretful. "I cannot help you in that. I am not allowed to directly interfere in that matter, however much I wish I could."

"But you can help us with something." Yaten pressed, detecting the purpose of her chosen words. "With protecting Serena?"

Feryal smiled softly. "My orders are to help protect the Moon Princess and the Fireball Princess, though I would probably do it anyway. I am fond of them both from . . . another time."

"Another time?" Rei echoed, shocked. Her voice rose in pitch. "You knew Serena then?"

Inclining her head, Feryal acknowledged the fact as truth.

"How?"

"I was a Senshi, and Princess of my own kingdom as were you, Lady Mars. Our beloved Serena was Princess Serenity still." she stretched. "I last saw her, and you, a year before our kingdoms all fell. My master came bearing tidings for Selenity, but the Lunarian Queen didn't listen. A mistake that she has doubtless regretted since, but it's in the past, where it belongs."

"Why are you telling us this now?"

Feryal looked at Yaten, her face a beautiful mask. "You would find out soon enough. Besides, i'm not telling you everything." she winked. "It would make it too easy."

"Serena dreamt of Queen Selenity." Rei told her.

The response was a thoughtful nod. "Her current predicament doesn't prevent her from communicating with her daughter."

"You know about that?"

"I do."

"I have seen the images my princess saw. The doors-"

"Are her options, Lady Mars. Through one door lies all she has ever known, through another a future she can imagine and dreams of, though at present she wouldn't admit to it. The third," an almost invisible shudder ran through the Senshi, "Let's just say I hope it never comes to be."

Another thought to be tucked away for later. "And the two men?"

Feryal looked at Rei gravely. "What of them?" her tone was almost . . . wary.

"We know one is Prince Endymion of Terra," Rei began, falling easily back into the old lingo of her past, "But the other confuses us."

"And why should it? Did you think you were the only ones to be reincarnated? That is a selfish thought indeed."

Rei scowled.

"I think what she's trying to say," Yaten interrupted smoothly before a fight could begin, "Is that my brothers and I have no knowledge of our lives before serving Kakyuu. We know only that we weren't with her. The young man in Serena's dream was Seiya, wasn't it?"

Another almost-blank expression. "Your memories will return in time." she sighed and turned her head aside a little, her expression becoming sad. "They must return soon. The future right now is something that nobody wants to see."

A faint whisper made itself known and Feryal cocked her head to one side, listening. "I must go, I'm being called back." she turned to leave.

"Wait!" Rei caught her wrist and Feryal turned back, looking a little surprised by the gesture. "At least help us with Serena."

Feryal's smile was slow and genuine, soft. "I told you, I am to protect the Moon Princess Serenity. That includes her heart, soul and mind, not just her body." she winked. "You can count on me, Rei Hino, Yaten Kou." with that she faded into smoke.

Yaten and Rei looked at each other, about to give up and return to the living world as well, when another female voice whispered through the flames.

_~Here, let me help you, a little.~_

A bright flash of silver light. Images began to flow through and around them both.

_The Moon Kingdom fell to the final attack of the Dark Kingdom. Queen Selenity used the last of her strength to cast her spell of protection. Her daughter and her friends would be catapulted into time to await new lives. She had not the strength to focus her intention further; she could only pray that it would work and that they would be together, happy, well and safe._

Flash.

_The Tankei System was engulfed by flames that were black as night but burned bright as the sun. Queen Keahi, protected from the worst of the attack by Starsaviour, Stardefender and Starcreator, gathered her daughter, Princess Kakyuu, into her arms. She had felt the demise of one of her alliance sisters. Starsaviour stood to one side, preparing to leave to check on her master, Sailor Etherea of the Siriun System. Starcreator cried; Stardefender lay dying. At her queen's signal 'Saviour gathered her comrades to her and vanished with them. Keahi raised her staff high over her head, her crystal sitting at the top, and summoned all her strength to protect and restore her people and her kingdom. Before the spell could be completed three starseeds appeared before her and she nodded, knowing the purpose for which they had been sent. She took them and the souls within them with her into the future._

Flash.

_The Siriun System was in ruins, the cries of her people surrounded her and haunted her, but Assyria wept for one that she could not hear nor see. Her daughter was missing, most assuredly dead, and her two comrades and friends searched for her in the aftermath that had followed the Doom Phantom's attack. She had managed to seal away the dark creature, but at a cost. Her world was reduced to a wasteland, and if her people did not flee soon then they would perish with her. The Siriun Crystal floated before her and she nodded, knowing what to do. She had felt Selenity's demise, but could shed no tears. 'Saviour arrived with her comrades and she nodded in acceptance, her course plotted. She would seal everyone within the crystal of the planet until a time when Sirius and the system was healed enough for them to return and survive. 'Defender and 'Creator she would place in crystal stasis with all of the Guardian team but Pluto, who would remain at her post. They would awaken in a thousand years and begin again. But Assyria knew that she would not survive to see her daughter again._

Flash.

_Galaxia stood tall and proud, refusing to cry as she watched the three starseeds most precious to her fly away to safety. She knew they would be protected from the sudden darkness that was engulfing the entire universe. Now she had to withstand the evils that had found their way back into the Galaxy Cauldron, the birthplace of all stars and magic, the true home of all Senshi. She was the strongest senshi in existence; she would be able to withstand their attentions. For a while, at least. She would be able to hold them off until others became strong enough to overcome them completely. Princess Galaxia, sovereign and senshi of the Galaxy Cauldron, stood resolute. She would not fail in her mission._

Flash.

_Serenity faced off against Metallia and Beryl for the first time in the new lifetime. She defeated the dark witches, but her energy was depleted beyond recovery. She wished for everyone to be reborn without their memories, so that they could lead peaceful lives._

Flash.

_Neo Queen Serenity stood before the Doom Phantom, facing off against this dark force for the first time. She had appeared briefly, summoned by Sailor Moon's courage and determination, and briefly inhabited her body in order to help her past self overcome this evil being. Her daughter joined her with a Silver Crystal of her own. The twin Crystals flashed. The Doom Phantom was gone._

Flash.

_Kakyuu, overcome with grief for her kingdom and her people, fled her home to seek refuge on Earth. The Solar System was her last resort. Her mother had told her never to lead any evil there if she could help it, but she had no choice. She prayed that the legendary White Moon Senshi could defeat this wicked being, for she could not do it alone. She knew her senshi would follow, as circumstances demanded, and so she fled._

Flash.

_Kakyuu had fallen. Her own senshi had fallen. Serenity and the Starlight Senshi were all that was left. Ignoring her pain Serenity battled on to free Galaxia from the control of Chaos. She succeeded, and as reward for her bravery and courage her senshi were reborn. Galaxia, knowing more than she would ever let on about the people standing before her, left for the Galaxy Cauldron, returning the stolen starseeds as she went, content that things would run their own course._

Flash.

_Two Senshi awakening from their crystal slumber within a hidden realm, seeking Earth to find their lost master. Working with the senshi of the Sol system even as they disappeared one by one. Almost losing the Moon Princess to the same dark force. Reawakening the Celestial Princesses from their slumber within mortal coils._

Flash.

_Serenity facing off against Lady Obsidia and the Doom Phantom. Reaching into Obsidia's mind to discover that she was not the true enemy, only a pawn that was being used. Brainwashed and afraid like Rini was against the same foe. Freeing Thuraya from her dark and tormented prison. Battling together to destroy the darkness once and for all. Then agreeing to have her memories wiped to protect the weakened princess of the Siriun System._

Flash.

_Darkness coming unless they changed the future's course._

_~You must change the future. You must save us all. This is the task I am giving to you. Protect Serenity and Kakyuu, aid my senshi in their mission and they will help you in yours. No one will survive if the current path continues unchecked.~_

Rei and Yaten were catapulted from the visions in the flames and back into their bodies and the real world. Both found themselves gasping for breath, throats burning and eyes stinging, lying on the floor with everybody gathered around them wide-eyed and scared.

"Yaten!" Taiki's voice was loudest, though Mina's hysterical sobs pierced through them both like arrows. "Yaten, Rei! Wake up please, you've got to wake up!"

"Ugh." was the undignified response from the two prone members of the group. Haltingly they both sat up, being aided by the others. Amy brought them both glasses of water and they downed the sweet, refreshing liquid in one gulp.

"What happened?" Lita's green eyes were wide, wary. Scared. "Rei glowed red, that's normal. The fire roared. That's normal too. But then she collapsed and Yaten you . . ."

"He joined me in the visions." Rei gasped out.

"But what happened?" Amy asked, confused. Mina was cuddling Yaten to her and mumbling; the silver-haired starlight didn't seem to care as he rested his head in the crook of her neck. "You've never reacted like that before, and the fire nearly raged out of control."

"How long were we out?" Rei countered, not willing to answer just yet.

If Amy thought anything of her dodge she didn't comment. "A couple of minutes, no more."

Rei nodded; it had felt longer than that, much longer. But then again the experience always felt longer than it was.

"What did you see, Rei?" Amy prompted her, when Rei looked away she moved her face back to look at her. "Rei, tell me what you saw."

Taiki put a hand on her arm to stop her questioning them she shook it off, glaring at him. "If she doesn't tell us now she won't remember later. That's the way it always is. She either writes it down or tells one of us. Trust us to know what to do right now." she told him sternly.

"We have to . . . change the future." Yaten coughed. "We have to . . . we have to . . ."

"Sshh, it's ok baby it's ok." Mina cooed at him softly. "You don't have to speak."

Yaten struggled to sit all the way up anyway. Serena lay a hand on his shoulder to help steady him and shook her head when Mina made to protest, her eyes firm.

"We have to change it. We have to. She told us we have to. Nothing can survive if we don't." he babbled.

Taiki looked at Lita, who shrugged slightly. "Rei sometimes got like this when we first started asking her to scry the fire for enemies and information. I think it's just because it's his first time."

"But he's hysterical." Taiki said incredulously. "They both are. Are you telling me we aren't taking them to a hospital or-"

"You forget, Taiki, that neither of them is really human." Serena said quietly. He looked to her pleadingly but she gave a soft, firm smile and shook her head. "Yaten is an alien from another world, a female in a male disguise. Your blood is not human, and the odd balance of hormones would confuse them. Rei is Martian, not Terran. They'll take one look at their blood and retain them for research or something. There is nothing we can do except wait."

Taiki looked as though he would protest, but the words died on his lips and he hung his head. He knew she was right, and it pained him to be so helpless. He usually knew what to do, but this time he was utterly lost.

The girls heard what he had missed; the odd mixture of Serena with another they had once known.

He felt her hand on his shoulder and looked into ageless crystal blue eyes. "Do not worry. I will let neither come to harm."

Standing and walking away, she sat between the two and gestured for them both to be given to her. Mina and Taiki gently positioned Yaten on her left as though he would break any minute, Rei was handed to her without a word from Amy and Lita.

Serena took a deep breath and focused. A small flash of warm white light and it was not Serena who sat between them, but a faeren creature with long silvery hair in a white linen gown. Taiki gaped; the power radiating from her was palpable and stole his breath. He could see why Darien and Seiya were both so drawn to her. Seiya had been right; she had a brilliant shine that could light up the darkest corners. This was the girl who had defeated Chaos and rescued Galaxia. This was the woman that would save their Seiya from his darkness.

"Rei, Yaten," Serenity spoke with a soft voice that commanded obedience in the gentlest of ways. Her moon mark glimmered. "Tell me what it is you saw."

Both Rei's and Yaten's eyes went dull, and they became very still and quiet. Taiki started when the pulse pushed gently past him and out into the night, but Lita held his arm reassuringly.

"She used to do this during the Silver Millennium sometimes, if she got Rei after a fire reading before her mother. She calms them down, almost hypnotises them with her power, takes away the pain, so that they can tell her everything without fear." Lita told him quietly.

Nodding, the tallest of them settled, trusting the Moon Princess to keep them safe.

"I saw the Trinity Alliance as it was." Rei intoned quietly. "I saw the forces that ripped them asunder. I saw extracts of you dream, Princess, and was told the meanings of some of the symbols you saw."

"Who told you?" Serenity asked, keeping her voice controlled to just the right pitch and volume.

"We summoned Sailor Celestia." Yaten said. "She cannot help us uncover the traitor in our midst, it is forbidden for her to interfere with that thread. But she can help in other ways. She told us of the doors."

Serenity stilled so suddenly she thought her own heart had stopped. "The doors?"

"One to a future we have been told, another to a possible alternative that is just as just as sweet, the third is the course on which we lie now." Rei said.

"We must alter it. Either of the gold or silver doors can be picked, but the black door must never be opened. All is lost if we cannot change the course of time and destiny."

Serenity looked at Yaten almost warily, then looked at Taiki. He saw the question in her eyes and answered simply.

"I have never known him to have any association with fire other than his temper. I don't know how he could have managed this." he shrugged, feeling as useless as he ever had.

"The black door was opened by force once before, destroying four powerful kingdoms and many more, but the darkness was beaten back and sealed, until those who could defeat them were stronger. We were shown a year that we cannot remember, for we consented to have it removed from our minds. The memories are deep within, held by power to protect and conserve." Rei told them.

"We must change this destiny, or perish with all else." Yaten finished.

"Who told you? Celestia?"

"Another we could not see. She whispered in the fire and drew the images to us. She showed us the way and helped us to leave before we drowned."

Serenity nodded. The others stood or knelt nearby, not wanting to disturb this delicate scene but unsure of what to do. Their eyes were wide as they watched.

"Thank you, my friends, you have told me all I wish to know. You may rest now." the moon mark shone again and the dullness faded from the eyes of the two either side of Serenity, but no sooner did they awaken they fell asleep. Amy and Lita took Rei again, Taiki and Mina took Yaten, and Serenity stood and stretched a little.

"It's little wonder you get so much trouble here, with that sort of power." Taiki said, unsure of how he meant it.

She offered him a smile. "Darkness cannot live without light, but most darkness cannot withstand light's power, and so it covets what it seeks to destroy." she turned to look at the two fainted members of the group. "Mars and Yaten need rest. Could you carry them into the shrine and watch over them?"

"Of course, Princess," Lita replied, kneeling to bow briefly; an old habit that sometimes resurfaced. "But what about you? You need rest too."

Serenity looked at her for a long moment. "I need to speak with my mother." with that said she left the fire room.


End file.
